This is the dish that makes the effort of the last two weeks worth it.

Chestnut mushrooms, seared hard until they're brown rather than grey, a splash of white wine, and cold butter stirred in at the end to make the sauce glossy. The whole thing takes about as long as boiling dried pasta would.

One piece of advice before you start: don't salt the mushrooms until the end. Salt pulls out their water too early and they steam instead of browning.

Method

1. 1

   Sear the mushrooms

   Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer without crowding them, and let them sear, turning occasionally, until they colour properly. No salt yet.

2. 2

   Add the onion

   Once the mushrooms have softened and taken on colour, add the onion and cook gently until it softens. Let the mushrooms' moisture evaporate completely before you move on.

3. 3

   Deglaze with the wine

   Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to lift the caramelised bits - that's where the flavour is. Let it reduce completely so the alcohol cooks off.

4. 4

   Butter and garlic

   Lower the heat. Add the cold butter, then the garlic, stirring continuously as the butter melts and emulsifies with the mushrooms. Season with salt, taste, and take it off the heat if it's ready before the pasta is.

5. 5

   Cook the pasta

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the tagliatelle. Fresh pasta cooks fast, usually around 3 minutes. When it floats, taste it: tender, with a slight bite.

6. 6

   Move the pasta to the pan

   Lift the pasta straight into the pan with tongs.

   Don't drain it - the starchy water that comes with it helps bind the sauce.

7. 7

   Emulsify

   Add a ladle of pasta water and keep tossing until the sauce coats every strand in a smooth, glossy layer. Turn off the heat.

8. 8

   Finish

   Add the parsley and grated parmesan, toss briefly while everything is hot, and taste once more.

9. 9

   Plate it properly

   Stand a ladle in the pan and twist the pasta around it with tongs to form a neat coil. Lower it into the centre of a warm bowl and let it go.

10. 10

    Final touches

    Finish with more parmesan and a light drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

The kit

Room to sear, and something left for the wine

Two things decide this dish: room for the mushrooms to sear rather than steam, and a pan that leaves something on the bottom for the wine to lift. Non-stick is designed to do the opposite. A wide stainless pan does both, and the Season Tri-Ply Sauté Pan has the depth to toss the pasta in afterwards without it ending up on the hob.

Shop the Tri-Ply Sauté Pan

Created by Season with Francesca, our specialist pasta tutor. The cooking you see is real; the presenter is an AI avatar we used to stitch the lessons together.