Tagliatelle with Wild Mushrooms
For this month’s recipe, Chef Rosario reminisces on his childhood in Italy and the hearty, autumnal meal his mother used to create each season.
“Every year after the hot days of summer were over in my native valley, I would hear my mother get up early in the morning to go mushroom hunting in the woods. She would only pick “porcini” mushrooms and bring them home to prepare delicious unforgettable pasta dishes like the one described below.”
“Dry porcini are full of concentrated earthy flavors that come to life in the soaking process. Since porcini are wild mushrooms that grow in the woods, sometimes there might be some sand attached to their stems. Before soaking, inspect the stems and discard any visible sand. Any remaining sand will come loose during soaking. To avoid having a sandy sauce, do not use the soaking water remaining in the bowl.”
Combine with fresh tagliatelle or fettuccine and you easily have a delicious chef-inspired, authentic Italian dish.
Buon appetito and SHARE THE PASTA!!
Tagliatelle with Wild Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh Tagliatelle or Fettuccine pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms (1.5 cups), de-stemmed and thinly sliced
- 2 oz dry porcini mushrooms (see notes)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsb Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- Salt and pepper to taste (for pasta water and sauce)
Instructions
-
1 hour before starting this recipe, soak the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl of warm water.
-
Bring a large pot of water (4 to 5 quarts) to a boil over high heat.
-
While water is heating, chop garlic and slice the shiitake mushrooms.
-
Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for a minute; then add shiitake mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Gently remove dry porcini from soaking liquid(being careful not to stir up any possible sand sediment at the bottom) and add them to the sauce along with the heavy cream.
-
Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until the cream is slightly thickened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
-
Once the water has reached a rapid boil, add salt and then the pasta. Cook until al dente (about 1 minute less than recommended cooking time on package directions). Fresh pasta usually cooks in less than five minutes.
-
When pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Add drained pasta to the saucepan with half of the cheese and the chopped parsley, stirring gently over low heat for a minute or so. Add some pasta water if necessary to keep the sauce creamy and the flavors well incorporated.
-
Transfer to a platter or portion onto individual plates. Top with the rest of the cheese
Recipe Notes
Chef Rosario's hometown in Italy is Morbegno, which is located in an Alpine valley called Valtellina. Both porcini mushrooms and luscious red wines made from Chiavennasca grapes (a variety of Nebbiolo) call Valtellina home. Inferno, Sassella, and Grumello are just a few of the local wines. Pick one or try them all! Any will pair perfectly with Tagliatelle with Wild Mushrooms.
Guiseppe Rainoldi Sassella Riserva (2013) is a bright ruby red with overtones of cherries and wild berries. This wine offers soft tannins, an appealing complexity, and a smooth finish.
