Saveur

Photo: Paolo Destefanis

These pillowy mushrooms surprise those who eat them with flavors that turn from delicately sweet to sharp.

18 large white mushrooms
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1⁄4 cup marsala
1 1⁄2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup grated pecorino romano
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove and coarsely chop stems from mushrooms, reserving caps. Heat olive oil in a large, deep, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushrooms, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushroom mixture is dry, about 5 minutes.

2. Slowly add marsala. Cook until marsala has evaporated, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs. Set aside to cool, then add pecorino romano, parsley and garlic. Mix thoroughly.

3. Place mushroom caps in a single layer (rounded side down) on a greased cookie sheet. Spoon filling mixture into caps, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with pepper and bake until golden, 30–45 minutes. Serve warm.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #18