Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

1 oz. (two small packages) dried porcini mushrooms

1/2 Cup dry white wine

4 oz. Pancetta, finely diced

2 Tbs. Unsalted butter

2 Lb. assorted mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Common White, etc.), thinly sliced

2 Shallots, peeled and finely diced

4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1 Lb. long pasta (Spaghetti, linguine, etc.)

4 Tbs. flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

1) Combine the dried porcini and the wine in a cup or small bowl and soak for thirty minutes.

2) Fill a large pot with four to six quarts of water and bringto a boil.

3) Heat a large saute pan to medium−high, and add the dicedpancetta. Saute until it renders some fat and becomes slightly crisp. Lower heat if needed

4) Add the butter and allow it to melt. When the bubbles have subsided, add the fresh mushrooms. If your saute pan can't accomodate them all at once, do this step in two batches. Saute the mushrooms until they have given up their juices and the juices have all but evaporated. In the meantime, when the pasta water boils, add the pasta to the water. Stir to be sure the strands are submerged and separated.

5) Raise the heat to high and add the porcini and wine, being careful at the bottom of the cup that no sand that might have come from the porcini, gets into the sauce. If you've cooked the fresh mushrooms in two batches, recombine them now. Add the shallots and thyme and saute, stirring frequently, until the wine has nearly evaporated. Taste for salt & pepper and add to your taste. Add the cream and allow it to boil until it has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat.

6) When the pasta is cooked to the al dente state, drain in a colander and pour it onto a plate, or divide it among four dishes. Either pour all of the mushroom sauce over the pasta in the platter, or spoon a quarter over each of the dishes. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Pasta with Wild Mushrooms should be served immediately.



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