PORTOBELLO PENNE

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
6 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
2 pounds Portabello mushrooms
6 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
1 1/2 pounds pasta
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

In a large skillet, melt half of the olive oil and half of the butter together. Add the onion, 2/3 of the salt, and the sugar. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl.

Meanwhile, stem the Portabellos. Halve the caps and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick.

In the same skillet, melt the rest of the butter in a quarter of the remaining olive oil. Add the mushrooms and the rest of the salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 8 minutes.

Add the reserved onions and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the sun-dried tomatoes and the pasta (Penne recommended), cook until al dente, about 13 minutes; reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water and drain the tomatoes and pasta.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, the mushroom mixture, goat cheese, Parmesan, and the rest of the olive oil. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the pasta water.

Serve immediately, passing additional grated Parmesan at the table.