There are two main reasons why this dish tastes so good. The first is the method for making sure the mushrooms are crispy. Mataki’s look like a cluster of smaller overlapping mushrooms that resemble a flower in full bloom. Be sure to break the mushroom bunches apart and distribute in a single layer on an oven friendly sheet pan.  By making sure they are not crowded on the roasting pan they have enough room to get crisp. The second is putting the parmesan cheese, butter and pepper into the mixing bowl before pouring in the pasta. Follow this recipe’s instructions carefully and you will have a new favorite pasta dish.

Ingredients
PASTA
1 pound tagliatelle pasta
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces Parmesan, finely grated
4 ounces (1/2 stick) butter

ROASTED MUSHROOMS
1 pound Mataki mushrooms (or mushrooms of your choice)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions
For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Finely grate the Parmesan cheese into a large mixing bowl. Add the pepper and butter to the bowl.
Drain the pasta reserving a few tablespoons of the water. Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and drizzle with water until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
For the mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Break mushroom bunches in half and arrange in single layer on an oven safe sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper over the mushrooms.
Roast for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are slightly crispy on the edges and cooked through.
Top the pasta with the roasted mushrooms and additional Parmesan cheese and serve.