Elicoidali Pasta & Mushroom Sauce

Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the lemon; squeeze the juice into a large bowl, straining out the seeds. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Medium dice the mozzarella cheese. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Cut off and discard the root end of the lettuce; roughly chop the leaves. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

To the bowl of lemon juice, add half the chopped garlic and 1/4 of the Italian seasoning. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the diced mozzarella cheese; toss to coat. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the cheese marinates, in a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced mushrooms and shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the tomato paste, remaining Italian seasoning, and remaining chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 9 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly. Return to the pot.

Add the sauce, butter, and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the pot of cooked pasta. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To the bowl of marinated mozzarella cheese, add the chopped lettuce. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished pasta with the salad on the side. Garnish the pasta with the chopped parsley. Enjoy!