Jono & Jules do food & wine

This has a surprising umaminess given the short cooking time. A dish for mushroom lovers.

Wine Suggestion: We enjoy pairing mushroom dishes with Nebbiolo and really enjoy stepping outside the box to find versions made outside it’s native Piedmont. Tonight a glass of Clendenen Family Vineyards (Au Bon Climat) “Pip” from the Santa Maria Valley in California, which despite it getting some of the famous sunshine, is also a very cool area with fog … just like Piedmont. We liked it a lot.

Porcini sauce for tagliatelle – serves 2

• 40g dried porcini
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves), finely chopped, plus extra to serve
• a big pinch of fine sea salt
• 1½ tbsp tomato purée
• about 50 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• 250g dried tagliatelle
• 40g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus extra to serve
• 3 tbsp double cream

Put the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water, then leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75g of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the porcini so it is like the consistency of mince, then set aside.

Put the oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley and fine salt into a large sauté pan, then place over a medium-low heat. Fry very gently for 5 minutes or until soft, taking care that the garlic doesn’t turn brown.

Increase the heat, then add the chopped porcini, tomato purée and the pepper. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then set the pan aside while you cook the tagliatelle.

Cook the pasta in boiling salty water until al dente, then drain and reserve 350g of the pasta water.

Return the sauté pan to a medium-high heat, then add the reserved porcini and pasta water. Bring to a simmer and leave to bubble for a few minutes. Add half the Parmesan, stir until melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat, then stir in the cream, followed by the cooked pasta. Toss over the heat for a minute or two until the sauce comes together.

Remove from the heat and serve with more Parmesan and olive oil.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)