Cashew cream is a great vegan alternative, its super easy to make and takes on flavour really well. I've made my own and combined it with some pan fried mushrooms, chipotle paste and a squeeze of lime juice to bring the dish together. Toss in your pasta and you've got something special!
Start by making your cashew cream, pour 150ml of boiling water over your cashews and leave to sit for 15- 20 mins. Once the cashews have softened, add a pinch of salt and give them a blitz in the blender, until you get a smooth cream-like consistency.
In a skillet or frying pan, heat your olive oil to medium heat, add in your sliced shallots and cook until caramelised and super soft, about 15 mins. Adding small amounts of water as you cook the shallots will stop them from burning.
Remove the caramelised shallots from the pan, and place in your mushrooms. Careful not to overcrowd the pan, this process can be done in batches. Once all your mushrooms are crispy and cooked, remove them from the pan and set to one side
Pop your shallots back into the pan followed by sliced garlic and chipotle paste. Cook gently until the chipotle paste has toasted slightly then add the mushrooms back in. To bring your sauce together, pour in your cashew cream, a squeeze of lime, and 50ml of pasta water.
Add your cooked pasta straight into the pan and toss until the sauce coats your pasta. Serve topped with fresh chives!
