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Tagliatelle with Porcini Mushrooms
Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms is a classic Italian pasta dish that celebrates one of the most prized mushrooms of the fall season. With their rich, earthy aroma and meaty texture, fresh porcini need very little to turn a plate of pasta into something special.In this recipe, the porcini are simply sautéed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and parsley, then tossed with fresh tagliatelle so that the pasta absorbs all their flavor.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh tagliatelle - 14 oz, homemade or store-bought
- 400 g fresh porcini mushrooms - 14 oz, cleaned and sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic - peeled and left whole
- 1 sprig fresh parsley - finely chopped
- fine salt - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Clean the Porcini
- Clean the porcini mushrooms carefully, as this is an important step for getting the best texture and flavor. Trim off the earthy end of the stem and gently scrape away any remaining dirt with a small knife. Clean the cap with a soft mushroom brush or a slightly damp cloth.
Make the Porcini Sauce
- Cut the cleaned porcini into slices about ⅛ inch (3–4 mm) thick. Avoid slicing them too thinly, or they may break apart during cooking and lose their pleasantly meaty texture.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide skillet. Pierce the whole garlic clove with a toothpick and add it to the oil. Let it become lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the porcini, spreading them out in an even layer without overcrowding the pan.
- Cook over medium-high heat for about 3–4 minutes without stirring, so the mushrooms have time to brown rather than steam. Turn them gently and continue cooking for another 4–6 minutes, depending on their thickness.
- Season with salt about halfway through cooking. The total cooking time should be around 8–10 minutes: the porcini should be cooked through but still firm.
- Remove the garlic clove, season with freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if needed.
Make the Mushroom Cream and Toss the Pasta
- Transfer about one-third of the cooked porcini to a tall container. Add a small ladleful of pasta cooking water and blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
- Return the porcini cream to the skillet and mix it with the remaining mushroom slices. Then add the finely chopped parsley.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fresh tagliatelle. Fresh pasta usually cooks very quickly, about 2–4 minutes, depending on its thickness.
- Drain the tagliatelle while still very al dente, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Add the pasta directly to the skillet and toss gently over low heat for about 1 minute. Add a little reserved pasta water as needed until the mushroom cream coats the tagliatelle evenly.The starch from the pasta water and the blended porcini create a naturally creamy sauce without the need for cream or butter.
- Serve the tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms immediately, while hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 545mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 2mg
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