BEST OF SHELF
Nothing mediocre to see here.
Morelli Porcini Tagliatelle
Click HERE if you need this pasta now.
While straightening my shelves, I lingered over the Porcini Mushroom Tagliatelle, reminding myself how lovely it was over the holidays. I had some extra truffle cheese and made a decadent creamy truffle-y side dish. The pasta just demands a lush cream sauce. I worried I wouldn’t be interested in (nor anyone else for that matter) with the lighter eating season coming. I checked the pull date and was glad I had plenty of time to hang on to this beautiful pasta.
I started thinking about mushrooms and asparagus. I could bring this pasta to a spring fling, and then… why not give Spring peas a chance.
I carry Morelli Porcini Tagliatelle which as mentioned is magnificant. Since 1860, Antico Pastificio Morelli has been producing regional Tuscan pastas and giving them their signature flavor and texture with the addition of wheat germ. Wheat germ is the secret ingredient not found in most common types of pasta.
Wheat germ is the heart of the grain of wheat, rich in flavor plus quite nourishing. It contains vitamins A, D, and E and provides a wonderful aroma while cooking. Wheat germ also gives the cooking water a slightly green hue, so yeah, don’t freak out. Porcini mushrooms are meaty, rich and intense. They also are woodsy and nutty adding to the flavors of the pasta itself. Tagliatelle is slightly wider than fettuccine and is thinner. It has rough and porous surface, that allows the sauce to adhere to it, even if it isn't cream.
I’ve not seen porcini fresh in Rochester. They are super cute like little fairy homes. They are available just about anywhere dried, though.
So how to use this lovely pasta this spring? I found this recipe from NY Times Cooking. I was drawn to it because I love, love, love gremolata, and it seemed perfect to give the pasta some spring freshness. The recipe calls for fettuccini, so I'm subbing out the tagliatelle. I'm also going to toss in some frozen peas. (Oh, peas, read the next blog post!!)
Pasta With Mushrooms and Gremolata
By Martha Rose Shulman
INGREDIENTS
2 plump garlic cloves, finely minced
½ cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound cultivated or wild mushrooms, like shiitakes, chanterelles or oyster mushrooms, or a combination, trimmed and quartered if small, cut in thick slices if large
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces fettuccini or farfalle
¼ to ½ cup pasta cooking water, to taste
¼ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
PREPARATION
To make the gremolata, place the minced garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a mound and chop them together with a chef's knife. Set aside.
Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and when it's hot, add the mushrooms. Sear the mushrooms, stirring with a wooden spoon or tossing in the pan, until they are lightly browned and begin to sweat. Add the salt and the white wine and continue to cook, stirring or tossing the mushrooms in the pan, until the wine has just about evaporated and the mushrooms are glazed about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the gremolata and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Taste and adjust salt. Keep the mixture warm while you cook the pasta.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add 1/4 cup of it to the mushrooms and stir together.
Drain the pasta and toss with the mushrooms in a large pasta bowl or pan. If it seems dry, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Don’t forget to add the peas.
This pasta could just be your Spring Masterpeas.