Maccheroni ai Funghi
Pasta with mushrooms
Porcini sliced and sautéed in garlic and olive oil, loosened with white wine and a little broth, tossed through pasta with a handful of parsley and grated Pecorino. A dish that showed up regularly at home, especially once autumn brought the good mushrooms to the market.
This was one of the pastas we made often enough that it never felt like a special occasion, just a good answer to what to cook when porcini showed up at the market looking right. Sliced and sautéed simply — garlic softened in oil, mushrooms added and left to release and then reabsorb their moisture, a splash of white wine, a little broth to loosen everything into a light sauce — it is a fast dish once the mushrooms are cleaned, and it rewards good mushrooms far more than it rewards technique.
Maccheroni here means any dried short or long pasta shape rather than the specific tube shape some countries associate with the word — mezzani, penne, or a hearty spaghetti all take the sauce well. Grated Pecorino at the end, rather than Parmigiano, gives it a sharper, saltier finish that suits the earthiness of the mushrooms.
Garlic, oil, mushrooms, a splash of wine, a little broth. Nothing complicated — just the kind of pasta you make often once autumn brings good porcini to the market.
The recipe
For six.
Maccheroni ai Funghi — porcini, garlic, white wine, and Pecorino. Click to enlarge.
600 gMaccheroni (mezzani, penne, or spaghetti)
400 g, cleaned and slicedPorcini mushrooms
2 clovesGarlic
½ cupExtra virgin olive oil
1 glassDry white wine
A few ladlesVegetable or light broth
A handful, choppedFresh parsley
Grated, generouslyPecorino Romano
To tasteSalt
1
Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth (do not wash under running water) and slice them thin.
2
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and soften the garlic cloves whole, then remove them once golden.
3
Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until they release their water and it evaporates.
4
Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate. Add a ladle of broth and let the mushrooms finish cooking gently until tender, adding more broth if the pan dries out.
5
Cook the pasta, drain reserving a little water, and toss with the mushrooms, loosening with pasta water as needed. Finish with parsley and a generous amount of Pecorino, and serve immediately.
Related
Pappardelle fra Porcino
A richer relative, built with cherry tomatoes and a touch of meat sauce for depth. See
the full recipe.
Funghi Trifolati
The same mushrooms, sauteed simply as a contorno rather than tossed with pasta. See
the full recipe.
Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola
The heavier cousin — sausage and cream added to the same mushroom base. See
the full recipe.
Pasta con Funghi e Pomodorini
Portobello and cherry tomatoes instead of porcini and wine — a lighter, fridge-logic take. See
the full recipe.
Buon appetito.
