Tortellini with ham filling and oyster mushrooms

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 pack of tortellini, with ham filling or as desired
• 4 large king oyster mushrooms
• 400 ml whipped cream
• 2 tbsp porcini mushrooms, dried, very finely chopped
• 1 shallot(s), finely diced
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche with herbs
• pepper, black
• Salt
• Vegetable broth, instant

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

A comfort food! It’s quick and easy to make and tastes simply amazing.

Finely chop the dried porcini mushrooms and soak them in a bowl of hot water. Use only enough water to just cover the mushrooms. Boil water for the tortellini and add plenty of salt. Pasta water should always taste like seawater; then it’s sufficiently salted. Cut the oyster mushrooms into approximately 5mm thick slices along the stem. Heat a non-stick pan and sear the oyster mushrooms without fat (!). They can brown well. This happens faster without fat than with fat. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the finely chopped shallot to the mushrooms and sauté until the onion cubes are translucent. Now deglaze the pan with the mushroom water and pour in the cream. Simmer over low heat until it reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. You can also use the granulated stock to taste. You’ll notice the mushroom flavor intensifies as the sauce reduces. In the meantime, chop (don’t mince) the parsley generously. It’s okay to use a few larger pieces. Remove the pan from the heat, add the crème fraîche, and stir it in. Don’t let the mixture boil. Finally, add 2/3 of the parsley and mix it in. The pasta should now be ready. Drain the pasta. It’s up to your personal taste whether you add the pasta directly to the pan with the mushrooms (as they do in “Bella Italia”) or arrange the pasta on a plate and then spoon the oyster mushrooms and sauce over them. The latter creates a more appealing visual effect (see picture). In any case, sprinkle the remaining third of parsley over the pasta now. Now, hurry, serve it to the table, because the guests are waiting. If you like, grate some Parmesan cheese over it. I don’t really like it because I think the Parmesan overpowers the delicate mushroom flavor.