It’s hard to get more comforting than this dish full of fall flavors. The polenta is made from very fine cornmeal, and its creaminess pairs perfectly with mushrooms. For a complete meal, I add a pan of sautéed mushrooms and a runny egg, all dusted with parmesan.

This mushroom gnocchi tastes like fall and comfort food. The “ai funghi” sauce is an Italian classic, every bit as famous as bolognese sauce. It’s a quick dish (if your gnocchi are ready to go) and a really good one. Potato gnocchi are a lovely alternative when you want a change from pasta, because they soak up the sauce so well.

These garlicky sautéed mushrooms with a slow-cooked egg make a lovely starter or even a light lunch, served with pasta or green beans sautéed in garlic, for example.