In Italy, gathering wild mushrooms – andar per funghi – is common practice due in no small part to the favourable geographical conditions. The Alps and Apennine mountains are flourishing grounds for the most popular mushrooms. Indeed, when mushroom season arrives, something takes hold of Italians. It’s not so much a fever, but rather a lust, a kind of earthy hunger as families set out for the hunting grounds once favoured by their ancestors.
They’re hungry for funghi, specifically for the porcini that sprout in the wooded hills of Piemonte, Toscana, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Veneto. The 16th century Italian naturalist Costanzo Felici once described the mushroom as ‘a very eccentric and dangerous food, better kept away from the table than dished up on it’. The Roman Emperor, Claudius was, after all, said to have been poisoned by this fungus – either through criminal intent, or by sheer accident – by his fourth wife Agrippina.
Our founder, Alessandro, loved searching for porcini mushrooms as a child. Unfortunately, because of lack of skill, he was only able to find the more prevalent poisonous mushrooms. He now hopes that, one day soon, he will be able to take his baby son, Daniele, foraging in the same hills - seeking greater success, of course. If Daniele has more luck than his dad, he might even find the king of the mushroom world, used in this sauce. The Boletus Edulis, more commonly known as “porcino” mushroom (and literally meaning “little pig” in Italian), can grow up to ten-inches tall and a foot in diameter and weigh 1kg when mature. The thick strands of the pappardelle, meanwhile, make for an ideal match to lap up this mighty mushroom sauce.
Note: Please consume or freeze our pasta and sauces within 2 days of delivery.
METHOD
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Salt the water (around ½tbsp per litre).
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
- Whilst the pasta cooks, put the sauce in a pan. Take care to ensure you squeeze all the sauce from the pouch. Gently heat until steaming and then turn off the heat.
- Lift the pasta out of the water and transfer to the sauce. Toss gently to coat.
- Sprinkle over the Italian cheese. Serve immediately. Buon appetito!
INGREDIENTS
Allergens in BOLD & CAPITALISED:
Durum WHEAT Semola, WHEAT Flour, EGG, Rice Flour
Porcini and Mixed Mushrooms (35%), Mushroom Stock, Cream (MILK), Tomato, Onion, Carrot, CELERY, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Butter (MILK), Salt, Garlic, Rosemary, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf
MILK, Salt, Rennet (Microbial Coagulant), EGG Lysozyme
ALLERGENS
In addition to the recipe-specific allergen information provided, Pasta Evangelists handles all 14 allergens prescribed in legislation. Whilst we have implemented and maintain safety practices and take all reasonable precautions to prevent cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee that our products will not contain traces of these allergens.
NUTRITION
Calories per serving: 737kcal
Following nutritional information is per 100g:
- Energy 861kJ
- Calories 206kcal
- Fat 6.7g
- Of which saturates 3.4g
- Carbohydrates 30.4g
- Of which sugars 2.6g
- Protein 6.3g
- Salt 0.5g
RECIPE CARD
Find this week's recipe cards, complete with cooking methods, in our handy Recipes Archive .