Roasted Cremini Mushrooms

Whenever I eat at an Italian restaurant, especially in the fall, I'm immediately tempted to order a side of cremini mushrooms. I love the buttery, nutty taste that magically emerges when the mushrooms have been slowly roasted with nothing but a simple coating of very good olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. The guys from one of my favorite restaurants, Frankie's Spuntino, swear by white pepper instead of black, and they use it on just about everything they make, as evidenced by their beautiful little cookbook. I used it here and the results were fantastic.

I love these mushrooms all on their own or to eat with spaghetti and meatballs, but incidentally, the dish also happens to be a pretty perfect Thanksgiving side. All photos by Mark Iantosca. Recipe down below. xo

Roasted Cremini Mushrooms
Adapted from The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual, by Frank Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo, Peter Meehan
Ingredients:
Cremini mushrooms
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and white pepper

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim off the bottoms of the mushroom stems and discard. Wash the mushrooms in a colander under running water and shake them dry. Pat gently with paper towels.

Arrange the mushrooms in an even, well-spaced layer on a baking sheet. Dress them with olive oil, a large pinch of salt, and a few turns of white pepper.

Pop them into the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're browned and shrunken and caramelized. (If you're cooking more than one package of mushrooms, pull the pan from the oven after 15 minutes and carefully tilt it to pour off the liquid the mushrooms have exuded.) Serve warm or at room temperature. Dress with a generous amount of olive oil and a good pinch of salt.