Pappardelle with Mixed Wild Mushrooms

This delicious, simple recipe can be made with any of the wide variety of wild mushrooms you can find at your local market. Of course, you can get brown and portobellos, but if you want some real flavors look for cremini, shitake, oyster, morel, and button or even the more exotic chanterelles, black trumpets, and wood ears. (See notes for a complete list).

Pappardelle with Mixed Wild Mushrooms
Pappardelle is a wide pasta noodle that when simply mixed with wild mushrooms sauteed with some garlic, hot pepper flakes, butter and then tossed with Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese makes an elegant, rich flavored restaurant style dish. It couldn't be easier.
Equipment
- pasta pot
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 9-11 0z mixed wild mushroom like baby portobellos, cwood ear, oyster, crimini, morel, shitake - Get 14 oz as you have to trim a bit off.
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 med shallot - halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic - finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon hot dried pepper flakes - adjust to your desired heat
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 lb fresh pappardelle - a wide, flat pasta. I use fresh lasagna sheets and cut them into 1½ strips.
- 1 small handful parmigiano-reggiano cheese - grated
- 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley - roughly chopped for garnish
- 2 oz unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened but not brown.
- Brush off any dirt from the mushrooms with a pastry brush or a dish towel. Slice the mushrooms thinly, but tear chanterelles in half and add, frying quickly, tossing once or twice, then add the garlic and chili flakes with a pinch of salt (it is very important to season mushrooms lightly, as a little really brings out the flavor). Add the tomato paste and continue to fry fast for 4-5 minutes, tossing regularly. Then turn the heat off and squeeze in the lemon juice. Toss and season to taste.
- Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Add to the mushrooms, with the Parmesan, parsley and butter. Toss gently, coating the pasta with the mushrooms and their flavor. Serve, scraping out all of the last bits of mushroom from the pan, and sprinkle with a little extra parsley and Parmesan (see note).
Notes
Guide to Wild Mushrooms
39 Different Types of Edible Mushrooms (with Pictures!) – Clean Green Simple
Parmigiano-Reggiano
For a cheese to be classified as Parmigiano-Reggiano, it must come from particular regions of Italy and contain only certain approved ingredients. Parmigiano-Reggiano is also aged at least one year and up to three years. Parmesan, on the other hand, is not regulated, and may be aged as little as 10 months.
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