This is one of my proudest creations, and I suppose a good example of a recipe that isn't traditionally from Italy, but sits uncontroversially in her culinary canon. I don't think it would be too presumptuous to name this linguine ai funghi crudi. It is about as speedy as you can imagine: You do no more to the mushrooms than slice them, steep them in oil, garlic, lemon, and thyme, and toss them into the hot cooked pasta. I'm afraid I had to have this forcibly taken away from me during the photo shoot for this book, otherwise I'd have eaten it all up before it had even had its picture taken.

The dressed mushrooms also make a great salad, but in which case boost the quantities of sliced mushrooms (keeping other ingredients the same, and obviously you're omitting the pasta altogether) to 6 cups.

If all you can find are regular button mushrooms, this pasta is still worth making—so no excuse for not.

8 oz/4 cups finely sliced cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
small clove garlic, minced
zest and juice of a lemon
4 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped to give 1 teaspoon leaves
1 lb linguine
1 bunch parsley, chopped to give 1/2 cup
2?3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
freshly ground pepper

1. Slice the mushrooms finely, and put them into a large bowl with the oil, salt, minced garlic, lemon juice and zest, and gorgeously scented thyme leaves.

2. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and drain loosely, retaining some water. Quickly put the pasta into the bowl with the mushroom mixture.

3. Toss everything together well, and then add the parsley, cheese, and pepper before tossing again, and eat with joy in your heart.

Serves 4?6

Copyright © 2007 by Nigella Lawson