Posted by GayleL 6:39:28pm 4/14/03

Source: sun-sentinel.com - posted April 3, 2003

Garlic Butter
1/4 cup soft butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Penne, Mushrooms and Mozzarella
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 (3 1/2-inch diameter) portobello mushroom
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (4 ounce) fresh mozzarella ball, cut into 4 slices
8 ounces dried penne pasta, cooked al dente
1 medium ripe tomato, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper, or to taste
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

To make butter: Mix butter and garlic well; set aside.

To make penne: Stir together white wine, lemon juice, garlic and butter in a nonreactive skillet or saute pan.

Preheat broiler element of your oven. Remove stem and scrape away gills from the mushroom cap. Discard stem and gills. Brush both sides of mushroom cap with olive oil. Place on a small broiler pan and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source about 2 minutes a side, or until just cooked through.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Diagonally slice cap into 4 more or less equal slices. Spread mushrooms on broiler pan and top with mozzarella slices; set aside.

Bring white wine mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add penne pasta to this sauce and toss to heat through. Toss in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and return to boil. Stir in Garlic Butter and toss again to coat well. Keep hot over very low heat while you finish mushrooms and cheese.

With broiler again preheated, slide broiler pan under heat source 40 seconds, just long enough to melt cheese. Divide pasta between two warm serving bowls and slide half mushrooms and cheese over top of each. Garnish with parsley.

Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 917 calories, 48 percent calories from fat, 27 grams protein, 91 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 49 grams total fat, 29 grams saturated fat, 119 milligrams cholesterol, 810 milligrams sodium