Tagliolini al Funghi Porcini
Not so long ago, foragers used to make the rounds in Rome, their satchels emitting the earthy aroma of mushrooms plucked from Apennine forests in Lazio, Molise, and Abruzzo. A few of them are still out there, but proper porcini are increasingly hard to come by, a by-product of climate change and a frugal public unwilling to pay for them. In season, you can find perfect porcini sliced and gently cooked in garlic-infused oil at Piatto Romano in Testaccio, the texture nearly matching the toothiness of the tagliolini they are served with. A fresh porcino is firm, with a perfectly fused stem. Neither should bear blemishes or holes, the telltale signs of worm infestation. If you can get your hands on fresh porcini, cook them the day you buy them. If you’re using dried, go for high-quality ones from Italy or the Balkans; they should smell like the forest, not like old cardboard.
8 ingredients
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Tagliolini al Funghi Porcini
Ingredients (8)
Ingredients (8)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Add salt until the water tastes like a seasoned soup.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil (3 Tbsp) and butter (1 Tbsp) in a large pan over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic (1 clove) and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
Add the porcini (10 oz) and a heavy pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. If using dried porcini, add a few spoonfuls of their strained soaking liquid to intensify the flavor.
Cook the tagliolini (1 lb) until they have lost their raw flavor, 2 to 3 minutes.
Use tongs to transfer them to the pan and add 0.25 cup of pasta cooking water.
Mix well and add more pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a creamy sauce.
Notes
Notes
Soak dried porcini in a medium bowl with warm water for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Once softened, remove and roughly chop the mushrooms. Don’t toss the soaking liquid. Strain it through a fine sieve or coffee filter to remove grit, then use it to deepen this dish, as well as sauces, risotto, or stews.
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