October 27, 2017

Italian Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom Sauce Over Fettuccini

Name: Italian Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 12 cooked warm meatballs -- or as many as you want.; Fettuccini made according to package directions.; 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter -- half of a stick; 1 garlic clove (slivered); 3 shallots (minced); 10 oz. combination sliced mushrooms (shiitake, cremini (baby bellas, white button)); 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (chopped); 1/2 cup white wine; 2 cups beef broth; 1/2 cup sour cream; 3 - 4 Tablespoons Wondra flour (may use all-purpose flour**); Salt and pepper to taste

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Creamy Mushroom Sauce with Italian Meatballs is a popular post that we posted two years ago. Ironically we are at Saint Simons Island and we are preparing to leave. This is one of our favorite recipes.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce — the inspiration

I’m excited about sharing our recipe for Italian Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom Sauce. The sauce is very simple to make, and yet, the taste is rich and complex made so by the brown butter.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a purchase of imported truffle flavored fettuccini. We bought the pasta from one of our favorite Italian delis/stores/restaurants in Venice, Florida called Angelos.

We knew this pasta called for a special sauce — this Creamy Mushroom Sauce was perfect!

Prima di tutto {first of all}, before continuing with the recipe, scusi { excuse me} for not posting sooner — I’ve missed you.

How is your autumn going?

We’ve been traveling and are now on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. Honey is fishing and I was invited to speak about blogging to a wonderful group of ladies here.

It took me a while to write the presentation — I didn’t want to bore them to tears. The women were very sweet and patiently listened to me. To say I was nervous is an understatement. My knees were knocking so hard, I swear, to me, they sounded like maracas.

The last time I spoke in front of a group of people was to say “I do” about 46 years ago. I believe I have a ways to go before I join the speaker’s circuit. 🙂

Brown butter enriches a recipe

Now back to the recipe. The first thing I did was brown the butter — it gave the sauce a nutty flavor and a richer taste. I find myself browning butter more and more.

It makes such a big difference in a recipe, and the aroma is out of this world. And better yet, it’s a snap to make.

The French call brown butter beurre noisette, and you can use it in just about any recipe that calls for butter including cakes, cookies, or sauces. It tastes fantastic over pasta, fish dishes, and vegetables.

Add a little bit to regular butter, then whip it up to put on hot bread — oh my, I can taste it now!!

It’s easy to brown just enough for a recipe but why not make a large batch and keep it in the fridge? Even better yet, freeze it in ice cube trays and always have some on hand.

Melt the butter lemon– yellow to toasty brown

To make the brown butter start melting it over medium heat. If you are unfamiliar with browning butter, use a pan with a light-colored bottom so you can watch the color of the butter. Stir so that the butter cooks evenly. As the butter melts, it foams. The color of the butter will change from lemon-yellow to a golden-tan and finally to a toasty-brown.

Once you smell that nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool. Some people like to strain the dregs from the butter — we like the flavor, so we keep them in.

I made just one batch of butter for the Italian Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom Sauce. The only thing that needs to be prepared is the creamy mushroom sauce — we always have our Italian meatballs baked, frozen and ready to heat up. You can make up a batch of our spicy garlicky meatballs or use your own.

Once the butter reaches the toasty brown color, add the slivered garlic clove and minced shallots sautéing for one minute.

Start on the Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Then comes the combination of sliced Shiitake, Cremini, and white button mushrooms. Add the thyme. Sauté on medium heat for about 10 minutes; the mushrooms will release their liquid. Add the flour and continue to sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes — stirring well. Pour in the beef broth and wine, continue to stir.

The sauce will begin to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the sour cream. Add the Italian meatballs and bathe them in the creamy mushroom sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes.

Be prepared to enjoy an exquisite dish. We hope you try it and let us know if you like it. Do you have a favorite noodle dish? Let us know in the comments.

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.