Italian folklore speculates that porcini mushrooms only sprout at the dawn of a new moon. In spite of their rarity, this cherished ingredient is a prominent fixture in Italian cuisine. Officially the boletus edulis, porcini may thank the Ancient Romans for its sweet, albeit a little unflattering name - the term translates to ‘little pigs’ in English. In spite of their humble appearance, the gourmet mushroom packs a flavoursome punch, imparting strong notes of umami into any dish they grace.
Not easily cultivated, these precious, nutty gems are the centrepiece of our creamy and comforting mushroom tagliatelle. Complimented by the piney fragrance of rosemary, as well as sumptuous garlic and cream, this dish is a winner amongst both vegetarians and carnivores. Tagliatelle proves a perfect vehicle for this robust ragù and, of course, we recommend making your own from scratch - totally simple, and totally worth it. For help in making your own tagliatelle, follow along as Roberta makes a batch in the video below.
Mushroom tagliatelle recipe
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Calories per serving: 486 kcal
Ingredients
- 400g fresh tagliatelle
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1-2 celery stalks, diced
- 50g of dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water
- 750g wild mushrooms
- 100g cream
- 50g tomato puree
- ½ cup mushroom stock (save the water you used when rehydrating your mushrooms - this makes a great stock!)
- 2 tablespoons corn flour, if needed
- Several sprigs of rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Rehydrate your dried mushrooms in 1 - 2 cups of boiling water. Reserve the leftover water - this is your deliciously umami mushroom stock.
- Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Add your onion, carrot and celery, and sauté until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, stir fry your mushrooms until golden brown in a glug of olive oil. Add your garlic and gently sauté, ensuring not to burn the delicate ingredient.
- Add your sautéed onions, carrot and celery, tomato puree, stock and cream, before laying a couple of sprigs of rosemary in the mixture, allowing their flavour gently infuse the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and leave to simmer for a few minutes.
- If needed, add a couple of tablespoons of corn flour to thicken the sauce, stirring cautiously to make sure it is fully combined with the mixture.
- Boil your fresh tagliatelle in liberally salted water for no more than 3-4 minutes, until al dente. Drain and immediately add to the sauce. Should you need to loosen the mixture, simply add a splash of your pasta water, to achieve a glossy sauce that adheres perfectly to your fresh tagliatelle.
- Serve your dish immediately, with a generous sprinkling of black pepper. Buon appetito!
Mushroom tagliatelle wine pairing recommendation
The combination of porcini and wild mushrooms in this dish brings plenty of earthiness, so you want a wine that can counterbalance it. An Italian red with a decent amount of sweetness like Pinot Nero is a good start. Pinot Nero is a wine that is lighter in colour with mild tannic structure but bright acidity. Overall, Pinot Nero is known as a very fruity wine, with berry and floral notes that develop greater complexity as the wine is aged. The lighter tannic nature of Pinot Nero is perfect to not overpower the flavours in your pasta dish.
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