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Morel Mushroom Pasta in Parmesan Cream Sauce

This is an absolute favorite. Creamy and savory - it is difficult to not eat the entire bowl! Check out the original recipe by Amanda at: https://burrataandbubbles.com/morel-mushroom-pasta-in-parmesan-cream-sauce/

Mushroom lovers, this recipe is for you. We take tender, earthy morel mushrooms and pile them on a bed of pasta covered in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and a kick of citrus. Every decadent bite of this morel mushroom pasta is comfort food at its finest.

And while this pasta is certainly comfort food, the morel mushrooms make it plenty fancy to serve for a special occasion. Large-scale commercial farmers don’t grow morel mushrooms in rows and rows like other mainstream crops.

Rather, morel mushrooms are harvested by literally foraging the forest to hand-pick these delicious beauties between March and May. Considering all the hard work and dedication that goes into bringing us morel mushrooms, I always feel fortunate when they're on my plate.

In the interest of full disclosure, dried morel mushrooms are on the pricy side because of their labor-intensive harvesting; however, these are meaty little 'shrooms, and a little bit goes a long way. Only 1 ounce of dried morel mushrooms easily serves four people. Because morel mushrooms are so substantial, we're not using a protein in this pasta, so the cost balances out when you think about it that way.


Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • Fresh Morel Mushrooms  ·  1/2 pound 
  • Warm Water  ·  2 cups 
  • Fresh Fettuccine  ·  18 ounces 
  • Butter  ·  1/2 cup 
  • Garlic, minced  ·  5 cloves 
  • Heavy Cream  ·  2 cups 
  • Parmesan, Freshly grated, fine  ·  1 cup 
  • Fresh Chives, chopped  ·  2 tablespoons 
  • Fresh Tarragon  ·  2 tablespoons 
  • Lemon Zest  ·  1 teaspoon 
  • Salt and Pepper  ·  to taste 
  • Crusty Bread  ·  Optional 

Instructions

  1. Place dried morel mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let the morel mushrooms sit for 20-30 minutes. Drain, reserving the morel mushroom liquid (see note). Quickly rinse the morel mushrooms and slice them in half.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and cook the pasta when the water is ready. As the water heats, prep your other ingredients.
  3. In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the morel mushrooms and cook until they're golden, about four minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
  4. Pour in the reserved morel mushroom liquid. Cook until it reduces to about ¼ cup.
  5. Add the heavy cream, stir to combine and allow to heat to a near simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts. Let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken but don't boil. If the sauce is ready before the pasta, turn the heat to the lowest setting and stir occasionally.
  6. Drain the pasta when ready. Turn off the heat on the sauce and stir in chives, tarragon and lemon zest. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Toss pasta in with the sauce and divide into bowls. Serve with crusty bread for dipping. Enjoy!

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