Mushroom pasta is always on the menu when I am entertaining. It is very tasty, everybody loves it (except one of my sons) and you can make the sauce almost entirely in advance. The addition of porccini or any other dry mushroom gives an amazing taste kick and I highly recommend it. However, it’s the crispy prosciutto that elevates this dish for “mmmmm” to “WOW!”
If I am entertaining vegetarians, I serve the prosciutto in a bowl on the side. Like you would serve grated parmesan. There are two ways to crisp up prosciutto. You can oven bake/grill it or fry it. I find that frying it with a spot of olive oil in a skillet makes it crispier and keeps it crispy for longer.
Pappardelle with prosciutto and mushrooms
My go-to pasta when I am entertaining. I prepare the mushrooms in advance and finish the dish just before serving. Any pasta would complement this dish. Fusilli, penne, anything fork-friendly! If you are serving vegetarians, serve the crispy prosciutto on the side, together with the grated parmesan.
Ingredients
- 500 grams pappardelle
- 10 grams dried porcini mushrooms
- 30 ml olive oil
- 100 grams prosciutto thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 500 grams portobello mushrooms
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- 50 grams butter unsalted
- 125 ml rosé or white wine
- 70 ml cognac
- 125 ml cream
- 50 grams Parmesan cheese grated, plus extra for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A few sprigs of thyme optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water and soak until they soften.
- In a large pan, heat half the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the slices of prosciutto and cook until they become crispy. Remove them and drain them on kitchen paper. They will crisp up as they cool.
- Put the remaining olive oil in the pan and cook the the onion until it softens and takes on a little color. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Let them cook, stirring occasionally until reduced in volume and and lose their liquid. Chop the soaked mushrooms and add them to the pan with their liquid. Add butter and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the brandy and wine. Let them boil for 2-3 minutes.
- Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water 1 minute less than the time indicated on the package. While pasta is cooking, add the cream to the mushrooms. Turn off the heat but leave on the stove. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan with the mushrooms. Add the the parmesan and mix. If it seems too thick, loosen everything with a little pasta water.
- Crush the prosciutto with your hands and mix half of it with the pasta. Serve immediately sprinkling with a few leaves of thyme if desired and the rest of the crushed prosciutto.
Notes
If entrertaining vegetarians, serve prosciutto on the side, just as you would with extra grated parmesan.
