Porcini mushroom sauce with goat cheese and walnut topping

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 25 g porcini mushrooms, dried
• 1 tbsp oil
• 75 g bacon, very lean, finely diced
• 1 onion(s), finely diced
• 1 garlic clove(s), finely chopped.
• ⅛ liter meat broth
• salt and pepper
• 2 pieces of cheese (goat cheese slices, 40 g each, e.g. Picandou)
• 2 tbsp walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 200 g pasta (porcini mushroom ribbon pasta)

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 15 minutes

autumnal main course for two or starter for four

Briefly rinse the porcini mushrooms and soak them for half an hour in one-eighth of a liter of lukewarm water. Drain through a sieve, reserving the soaking liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and pass the liquid through a strainer. Heat the oil, sauté the bacon, onion, garlic, and porcini mushrooms. Deglaze with the mushroom water and broth, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add a tablespoon of parsley and season with salt and pepper. Caution: The bacon can be quite salty! Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain. Place the goat cheese patties on an ovenproof plate and sprinkle with the walnuts. Bake in the oven for about seven minutes or heat in the microwave. Divide the pasta between two preheated plates, pour the sauce over the patties, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and place the goat cheese patties and walnuts on top. Note: It’s essential to use porcini mushroom pasta for this recipe, as they enhance the flavor of the sauce! If serving this dish as an appetizer for four, adjust the number of goat cheese slices and use a few more walnuts. I borrowed the idea for the goat cheese and walnut topping from Pietra22’s recipe for Tagliatelle with Goat Cheese and Walnuts. I’d like to thank her very much for allowing me to use it in my recipe!