Porcini Pasta in a Porcini Reduction
This dish is a sautéed pasta and it uses a fresh pasta that is actually made with mushrooms. The pasta is made in the same method as other fresh pasta except that about one quarter of the flour is replaced with a mushroom powder, in this case porcini powder. The resulting pasta is a darker colored, mushroom flavored pasta.
The sauce is made by reducing the chicken stock that was used to reconstitute dried porcinis, which are used in the sauce. It is further flavored with shallots, garlic and tomatoes. The cooked pasta is added to the finished sauce along with a little of the pasta water then finished with cheese and olive oil, resulting in a strong, intensely mushroom flavored dish.
Dried porcini and porcini powder are both available online as well as at higher end grocery stores (Whole Foods) and specialty markets. Other types of dried mushrooms could be easily incorporated into this recipe: any type of abundant dried bolete, dried shitakes or portabella, etc. Mushroom powder can easily be made by putting dried mushrooms into a high powered blender or a hand held coffee/spice grinder. Think strong flavored mushrooms!
Yield: 6 generous servings
Serving size: 7-8 ounces
2 cups chicken stock
1 oz. dried porcini
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. shallot, minced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 cup tomatoes, medium diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 recipe Porcini pasta, rolled and cut into your favorite cut (linguine or papardelle work well)
½ cup pasta water (this is the water you have cooked your noodles in)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
Really good salt
Really good, fresh ground black pepper
This dish is a sautéed pasta and it uses a fresh pasta that is actually made with mushrooms. The pasta is made in the same method as other fresh pasta except that about one quarter of the flour is replaced with a mushroom powder, in this case porcini powder. The resulting pasta is a darker colored, mushroom flavored pasta.
The sauce is made by reducing the chicken stock that was used to reconstitute dried porcinis, which are used in the sauce. It is further flavored with shallots, garlic and tomatoes. The cooked pasta is added to the finished sauce along with a little of the pasta water then finished with cheese and olive oil, resulting in a strong, intensely mushroom flavored dish.
Dried porcini and porcini powder are both available online as well as at higher end grocery stores (Whole Foods) and specialty markets. Other types of dried mushrooms could be easily incorporated into this recipe: any type of abundant dried bolete, dried shitakes or portabella, etc. Mushroom powder can easily be made by putting dried mushrooms into a high powered blender or a hand held coffee/spice grinder. Think strong flavored mushrooms!
Yield: 6 generous servings
Serving size: 7-8 ounces
2 cups chicken stock
1 oz. dried porcini
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. shallot, minced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 cup tomatoes, medium diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 recipe Porcini pasta, rolled and cut into your favorite cut (linguine or papardelle work well)
½ cup pasta water (this is the water you have cooked your noodles in)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
Really good salt
Really good, fresh ground black pepper
- Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil.
- Bring chicken stock to a boil, then pour over porcini. Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve chicken stock.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add strained porcini and sauté for 3 minutes, allowing mushrooms to start to color.
- Add shallot, stir for 30 seconds, then add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add tomato and stir for 30 seconds; then add the chicken stock and dried thyme. Allow stock to reduce until almost dry (about 75%).
- Drop porcini pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente, approximately 3 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water, then add cooked pasta to sauce pan. Mix with sauce over medium heat.
- Add parmesan cheese, remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, a little pasta water (to reach desired consistency) and parsley. Stir well, season with salt and pepper and serve.
