Elicoidali Pasta & Crispy Oyster Mushrooms

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Medium dice the mozzarella cheese. Cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel the cucumber, leaving alternating strips of skin intact; thinly slice into rounds.

In a bowl, combine the dried oregano, up to half the garlic, and the juice of all 4 lemon wedges. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined. In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese and ⅔ of the dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.

While the cheese marinates, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Add the parsley and half the remaining garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Leaving any browned bits in the pan, transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the shallot and remaining garlic to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, or until dark red and fragrant. Add half the arugula and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly wilted. Add ¼ cup of water and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly thickened and saucy. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce cooks, add the pasta to pot of boiling water. Cook 9 to 10 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly. Add the cooked pasta, butter, and half the reserved cooking water to the pan of sauce. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly coated. (If dry, gradually add the remaining cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat; stir in the mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the bowl of marinated mozzarella cheese, add the cucumber, remaining arugula, and as much of the remaining dressing as you'd like; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Divide the finished pasta among 4 dishes. Top with the cooked mushrooms. Enjoy!