Pasta with Potatoes and Mushrooms

Method

1. Peel the carrot and cut into fine cubes. Peel the celery and remove the outer fibrous filaments, then cut into strips and then into cubes the same size as the carrot. Peel the shallot and cut into rings.
2. Clean the mushrooms: remove the fibrous part of the stems from larger mushrooms, cut the caps into pieces about 0.5 cm. Leave small mushrooms whole or cut in half.
3. Peel the potatoes, cut into slices about 1 cm thick, then cut into cubes.
4. In a high-sided pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the shallot and chili pepper (if using) and sauté until the shallot is translucent.
5. Add the mushrooms, turn the heat to high, and stir well. Cover and stew for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms release their water.
6. Add a small portion of the potato cubes (about a quarter) to the pot. Add salt, then add the carrot, celery, and thyme. Stir and cook over medium heat until the water from the vegetables has evaporated.
7. Meanwhile, strip the rosemary needles from the sprig and add them to the remaining potato cubes.
8. When the water has evaporated, add the remaining potatoes (with the rosemary) to the pot. Stir well.
9. Add enough water to cover all ingredients by about two fingers. Add the bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil, then cook for 10 minutes.
10. After 10 minutes, remove the bay leaves. Add about 7-8 grams of coarse salt.
11. Add the pasta. Use the vegetable broth as needed to adjust the consistency during cooking.
12. Cook the pasta until al dente. Remove from heat, add chopped parsley (do not let it cook, to avoid bitterness) and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.
13. Plate the pasta and finish with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.