Wild Mushroom Sacchetti Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Brush off any dirt from the mushrooms with a pastry brush or a tea towel. Slice the mushrooms thinly, but tear any larger mushrooms, like girolles, chanterelles. and blewits in half. Put the olive oil in a very hot frying pan, and add the mushrooms. Let them fry fast, tossing once or twice, then add the garlic and chile with a pinch of salt (it is very important to season mushrooms slightly, as it really brings out the flavor). Continue to fry fast for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing regularly. Then turn the heat off and squeeze in the lemon juice. Toss and season, to taste.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the mushrooms, with the Parmesan, parsley, and butter. Toss gently, coating the pasta with the mushrooms and their flavor. Serve, scraping out all of the last bits of mushroom from the pan, and sprinkle with a little extra parsley and Parmesan.

RAVIOLI FILLED WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS AND TWO CHEESES

Steps:

• First make the filling: Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and mince. In a skillet cook the shallots in the oil over moderate heat, stirring until they are softened. Add the fresh mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, until it is dry. Add the dried mushrooms and the garlic, cook the mixture, stirring, until it is dry, and transfer it to a bowl. Add the mozzarella, the Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste to the mushroom mixture and stir the filling until it is well combined. Make the ravioli: Trim the ends of the dough and cut the dough crosswise into 2 pieces, 1 piece 1 1/2 inches longer than the other. Put a rounded teaspoon of the mushroom mixture in 2 rows on the shorter piece, spacing them about 1 inch from the edges and with their centers about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush the dough around the filling with water, put the longer piece of dough on top, and press it gently around the mounds of filling. With a fluted pastry wheel or knife cut the dough between the mounds. Arrange the ravioli in one layer on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour and let dry one hour.
• When ready to cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until it is just tender, drain it in a colander and transfer it to a large bowl. Then in a small saucepan melt the butter and add the butter to the ravioli, tossing to coat it well. Transfer to serving dish. In another saucepan combine the heavy cream, 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, strained through a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it is slightly thickened. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Top the ravioli evenly with the sauce and sprinkle with the parsley and the Parmesan before serving.

WILD-MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Soak dried mushrooms in boiling-hot water in a bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain in a paper-towel-lined sieve set over a bowl and reserve soaking liquid, then rinse soaked mushrooms. Pat dry and finely chop.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté fresh mushrooms with garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in chopped soaked mushrooms and reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and simmer 1 minute, then remove from heat.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Ladle out and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta in a colander, then add it to mushrooms in skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook over moderately high heat, tossing and adding some pasta-cooking liquid if necessary to lightly coat, 1 minute. Add chives, parsley, lemon zest, and juice, then toss well. Serve immediately with cheese and pepper to taste.

BAKED CHEESY PASTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the mushrooms and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with the olive oil, the salt, a few grinds of pepper and the rosemary. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast, tossing once or twice, until golden brown and crisped around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Discard rosemary.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for at least a few minutes less than the package directs. (You want the pasta very al dente; it will finish softening in the sauce.) Drain well.
• Turn oven up to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cream, ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, sage, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir in the pasta and mushrooms. Arrange in a shallow 2-quart gratin dish or 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.

PASTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil.
• In a large saute pan, over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute, just until beginning to turn translucent. Add the marjoram and saute 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the Mushroom Stock and reduce 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce about 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and quickly toss with mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Divide onto serving plates and serve immediately garnished with marjoram sprigs.
• Combine the chicken stock and mushrooms in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Strain.

WILD MUSHROOM SAUTé

Steps:

• Finely chop 1/2 cup parsley with 1 garlic clove; set parsley mixture aside. Finely chop remaining 2 garlic cloves. Whisk chopped garlic, 4 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Add mushrooms and toss to coat.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add mushroom mixture and saut é until mushrooms are brown and just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Mix in parsley mixture and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to bowl. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve.

ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss mushrooms with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with thyme. Roast until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven; serve hot.

WILD MUSHROOM MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Tip the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl, pour over hot water from the kettle until just covered, then set aside to soak until cool. Meanwhile, heat about a third of the butter in a frying pan until sizzling and scatter in the chestnut mushrooms. Season and fry for 4-5 mins over a high heat until soft and cooked through. Set aside. When the dried mushrooms are cool, drain over a bowl to catch the soaking juices, pressing to squeeze out all the liquid, then roughly chop.
• Heat all but about ½ tsp of the remaining butter in a large saucepan over a high heat until sizzling, then add the rehydrated mushrooms and fry for 2-3 mins until well browned. Scatter over the flour and stir together to make a sandy paste. Cook for 2 mins, then gradually pour in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in the bottom of the bowl. Simmer until thickened, then gradually stir or whisk in the milk until completely incorporated into a sauce. Add the mustard powder or mustard and season to taste with a grating of nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Leave the sauce to cook gently on a low-medium heat. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 mins less than stated on the packet.
• When the macaroni is ready, drain well and tip back into the saucepan. Pour over the mushroom sauce, tip in the fried chestnut mushrooms, all the cheddar and half the parmesan, then vigorously stir everything together until fully combined. Use the last of the butter to butter a casserole dish, then scrape in the macaroni and mushroom mix. Scatter with the remaining parmesan and the breadcrumbs, if using. Will keep covered and chilled for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost fully in the fridge before baking.
• When you're ready to cook, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then bring to the table and serve straight from the dish.