Morel Pasta With Cream, Parmesan & Thyme
Instructions:
Place dried morels in a heat-proof bowl and cover with as little boiling water as needed to cover mushrooms (about 3- 4 cups). Let sit for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Pull out morels, gently squeezing out excess water, and reserve the soaking liquid. Cut large morels in half lengthwise. Filter soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove any dirt and set aside.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add morels, season with salt and black pepper, and saute until liquid is mostly cooked off. Add wine and increase heat to a simmer. Cook until nearly all of the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes.
Add 1 ½ cups of soaking liquid (discard remainder), heavy cream and thyme and season with salt and black pepper. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring and seasoning as needed, until sauce is thick and flavorful.
When sauce is ready, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Scoop out 2 cups of pasta cooking liquid. Stir half into the morel cream sauce and return to a gentle simmer.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta to the morel sauce and cook, tossing constantly and adding Parmesan little by little, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy and coats the pasta, about 3 minutes. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Taste; season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with extra parmesan and fresh thyme.
Morel Paste with Cream, Parmesan and Thyme by withspice.comServes: 4-6
Ingredients:
3 oz dried morels
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
1 lb medium shell pasta (shellbows are great here)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving