It is autumn and that means many varieties of fresh mushrooms are in abundance. In Italy at this time of year you can find a wonderful selection of reasonably priced mushrooms at grocery shops and markets. That is why we offer you to enjoy one of our favorite Italian pasta recipe.
Italians love mushrooms and incorporate them in many traditional dishes from all regions. The most known regions for mushrooms are Tuscany, Umbria Trentino and Alto Adige. If you are traveling to Italy during the fall we recommend that you try some delicious mushroom dishes.
The most famous and prized mushrooms in Italy are the Porcini and the Ovuli. The Ovuli also called “Caesars mushroom” was a precious mushroom even to the Romans who called it the “food of the gods”. If you are lucky enough to find and use these mushrooms they will be a tasty ingredient for any dish but there are many other varieties that can be used to make equally delicious dishes. Some of the most commonly used mushrooms used for Italian cuisine are the “Galletti” (Chanterelles), the “Prataioli” ( Shitake) and the “Chiodini” ( honey mushrooms).
We have chosen a wonderful Italian pasta recipe that is fast and easy to prepare and will give you the opportunity to enjoy a typical dish of the season. Buon appetito !
YIELD : Serves 4 people DIFFICULTY: Easy PREPARATION TIME: 1/2 hour
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh Tagliatelle pasta
¾ lb of mixed mushrooms, Chantrelles, Shitake, honey mushrooms
1 Carrot
2 garlic cloves
½ small onion
10 cherry tomatoes
Small piece of hot pepper
Teaspoon of salt
handful of parsley
5 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Cut into small pieces the carrot, onion and mushrooms and cherry tomatoes cut in half and toss together in a bowl. Cut the parsley into small pieces and put aside. In a large frying pan add the olive oil and all the ingredients except the parsley. Cover and let simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Be sure that there is enough liquid at all times but not too much as mushrooms tend to create moisture. If after 10 minutes there is still too much water uncover the pan and continue cooking without the cover. About 2 minutes before you take the pot off the stove add half of the parsley.
Meantime in a large pot boil water for the pasta. Add the pasta to salted boiling water and cook to taste. Italians like their pasta “al dente” meaning they can feel it under their teeth. When cooked, strain the pasta and add in the pan with all the mushroom mixture. Mix together over low heat for about one minute. Add the rest of the parsley on top of the pasta before serving.
Optional: To add to the presentation and taste of the dish you can add some leaves of Rocket lettuce and flakes of parmiggiano cheese on top before serving.
Suggested wine with this dish : Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
