Tagliatelle with fried porcini mushrooms

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 500 g porcini mushrooms, fresh
• 1 shallot(s)
• 30 g pancetta (herb pancetta)
• 200 ml cream
• 6 stalks parsley, flat
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 200g tagliatelle

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

For 4 people, this dish can also be served as an intermediate course in a menu

Anyone who has bought fresh porcini mushrooms or even picked them themselves is guaranteed a delicious dish. There’s no need for meat, fish, or cheese. The porcini mushroom, the noble forest dweller from the bolete family, is the star of the show. It deserves your full attention during preparation. The flavor of fresh porcini mushrooms overshadows all other varieties I know; even chanterelles, chanterelles, and birch mushrooms don’t produce the same epicurean delight. I like it best with pasta, but it also delights any eater as a delicious side dish to lamb’s lettuce. Clean the mushrooms with a nail brush. Brush off the dirty parts until they are clean. This is quite quick, but the brush must be rinsed under water every now and then and dried thoroughly before using it again, as porcini mushrooms don’t like water. Cut out any worm-eaten stems and the tubes of larger ones. Slice the cleaned mushrooms lengthwise. Cut the pancetta and shallot into tiny cubes. Heat a saucepan and fry the pancetta cubes for a while, then add the shallot cubes and sauté briefly. Pour in the cream and reduce slightly. Season with pepper; salt probably won’t be necessary, as the pancetta cubes will provide some of it. Heat the butter and oil in a pan and fry the porcini mushrooms until they are well-seared, as this brings out their unique flavor. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning once. They should be lightly browned on both sides. Season with pepper and salt and sprinkle with the finely chopped parsley. Cook the tagliatelle according to the package instructions, drain, and arrange in nests on deep plates. Arrange the mushrooms in the center and pour the cream over the pasta.