I love mushrooms. They’re so heady, so pungent, so earthy. And it seems there’s absolutely nothing better than mushrooms gently sauteed in a bit of butter. When I started cooking this recipe, the shallots and mushrooms sizzling in the pan, I thought I’d faint from the heavenly aroma. This recipe is so simple, but the mushrooms complement the cheesy ravioli perfectly.

I’m always amazed to see mushrooms growing in random places…when I see one on a tree or in the grass, I have to stop and smile…I feel like maybe I was the first one to see it, and I think about people who might forage for them, knowing which ones are edible and which ones would bring death. So anyway, I love mushrooms.

I’m so excited that it’s October…for some reason I feel like it’s officially okay to be autumn-centric, even though everything in Austin still seems summery. Today I wore my November apron from last year (I was supposed to make one apron a month, but I suppose that never happened), and it made me smile every time I looked down and saw the little crows and pumpkins. Tonight I made an autumny dessert (which I will post soon), and I put up our orange halloween lights and our few autumn decorations. If I had more storage space, I think I’d have boxes and boxes of autumn things. I’ve managed to keep it to two pumpkins, a trick-or-treat pail, two strings of orange lights, a spiderweb curtain, and a wooden pumpkin welcome sign.

Back to the mushrooms.

Four Cheese Ravioli with Mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced crosswise
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 5 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 (16- to 20-ounce) package fresh or frozen four-cheese ravioli (I used Buittoni Lite)

Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook shallots, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes.

Add mushrooms and increase heat to high, then saute, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are golden, about 4 minutes. Add wine and boil until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, parsley, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter until butter is melted.

While mushrooms are sauteeing, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until ravioli are al dente. Drain in a colander.

Return drained ravioli to large pot and add mushroom mixture, stirring gently until combined.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Adapted from Gourmet magazine.