Name: Tagliatelle with Mushrooms, Kale and Pancetta
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: serves 2 people
Ingredients: 3 tbsp dried porcini; 100 g pancetta, cubed (3.5 oz); 1 tbsp butter; 1 onion, diced; 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp finely chopped dried chili (optional); 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram); 150 g fresh or frozen mushrooms (porcini or other); 4 black kale leaves; 1 tbsp Madeira or other sweet wine (optional); 2 tbsp double cream; 10 g freshly grated parmesan cheese (1/8 cup); 170 g tagliatelle pasta (6 oz.)

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms, Kale and Pancetta

Finding a mushroom in the forest or in a meadow is such a joy, but what’s even better is the joy this comfort dish brings. Simple, 30-minute comfort tagliatelle with mushrooms, kale and pancetta. So what’s the story with this pasta? Well, we start with dried porcini, soaked in water, then drained. The dried porcini are packed with flavor and add a whole other level of aroma to this pasta dish. You can also use frozen mushrooms (cook as written in the method) or fresh mushrooms (reduce the time of cooking). Kale is another wonderful fall ingredient that’s perfect in combination with mushrooms and it adds a bit of freshness to the pasta. If you don’t have black kale, use other kale or you can even use spinach instead of kale. Madeira (or any other sweet wine) adds a hint of sweetness and the double cream plus parmesan cheese give this pasta that delicious, creamy texture, mmm. Perfect for a quick midweek lunch or dinner. Easy, simple, affordable and seasonal too.

METHOD

dried porcini

Place the dried porcini in a small bowl, cover with the hot water, and let sit until soft.
cook the vegetables

Place a skillet over medium high heat. Cut the pancetta into cubes and add to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pancetta from the skillet but leave the leftover fat in the skillet. Add the butter, diced onion, chopped garlic, chili and chopped fresh herbs to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
add the mushrooms

Add frozen or fresh sliced mushrooms to the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes if you are using frozen mushrooms or for about 3 minutes if you are using fresh mushrooms. Add the drained and chopped dried porcini (save the water from the dried porcini). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
cook the tagliatelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the tagliatelle and cook according to the instructions on the package. Once the tagliatelle have cooked, drain them, but keep around 100 ml of pasta water.
Serve

Clean the kale and slice the leaves in small stripes. Add the kale to the mushrooms, stir to combine and pour in the remaining dried porcini water. Add a tablespoon of Madeira or other sweet wine, double cream and 100ml of pasta water. Cook for about 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the tagliatelle and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Toss everything to combine. Serve with pancetta and fresh herbs. Enjoy.