Description
Creamy morel mushroom sauce elevates pasta with woodland elegance from French culinary traditions. Earthy mushrooms and silky cream blend harmoniously, inviting you to savor each luxurious forkful of this exquisite dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Mushrooms:
- 1 ounce (28 grams) dried morel mushrooms
- 4 ounces (113 grams) fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved if large
Dairy and Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Pasta and Seasonings:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) dried fettuccine or tagliatelle pasta
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) boiling water (if using dried mushrooms)
- 2 teaspoons (2 grams) fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- For dried morel mushrooms, submerge in boiling water and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Carefully strain the liquid through a fine mesh filter to eliminate sediment, then roughly dice the rehydrated mushrooms.
- Heat a large water pot with salt and cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta, preserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid for potential sauce adjustment.
- Melt butter in a spacious skillet over medium temperature, gently sautéing shallots until translucent and fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Introduce morel mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Sauté until mushrooms develop a rich golden-brown coloration, roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Pour cream and reserved mushroom liquid into the skillet. Allow mixture to simmer and reduce, creating a slightly thickened consistency over 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer drained pasta directly into the skillet, thoroughly coating each strand with the luxurious sauce. Utilize reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if necessary.
- Finish the dish by folding in freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately, optionally garnishing with grated Parmesan cheese for an extra layer of flavor.
Notes
- Gently rinse dried morel mushrooms to remove potential debris before soaking, ensuring a cleaner flavor profile.
- When using fresh morels, soak them briefly in salted water to remove any hidden insects or dirt without compromising their delicate texture.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or Greek yogurt to reduce calories while maintaining a creamy consistency.
- Vegetarian adaptation can be achieved by replacing butter with olive oil and using nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese for a similar umami depth.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 565
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 305 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg