Penne with Creamy Mushroom And Vodka Sauce

This quick pasta has a luscious, rich sauce. Use as many kinds of mushrooms you can find, such as button, shiitake, oyster, portobello 1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until the shallot is softened. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released some of their moisture. 2. Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the penne according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. 3. Add the cherry tomatoes, vodka and red pepper flakes to the mushrooms. Stir well to mix. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a medium boil. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. Combine the milk and flour in a bowl and whisk to blend. Stir into the mushroom mixture. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. 5. Add the reserved cooking water and the cooked penne. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in the grated cheese if desired. Taste for seasonings. PER SERVING: 759 calories, 25 grams protein, 113 grams carbohydrate, 20 grams fat, 24 percent calories as fat, 4 grams fiber, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 237 milligrams sodium. Valentines 1999 Menu by Pam Smith OHara of the Miami Herald <mailto:foodsection@herald.com> (ELF MC FS) kitpath@earthlink.net Recipe by: Claires Italian Feast by Claire Criscuolo (Plume) Posted to EAT-LF Digest by PatHanneman <kitpath@earthlink.net> on Feb 09, 1999,