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This lovely dish is a great way to use those morel mushrooms I mentioned in my previous post. At the time that I prepared this dish, morels had not yet popped up from the ground. I know that they would be wonderful in this recipe because their fantastic umami quality.

DSC_0619Rigatoni with Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce (from Spoon, Fork, Bacon)

  • 1 lb. mezzi rigatoni
  • 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, microplaned
  • 2 sprigs thyme, minced
  • 1 lb morel mushrooms
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the water, followed by the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain into a colander and toss with a dash of olive oil. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onions for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and mushrooms and continue to sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and allow the liquid to reduce by 2/3. Lower heat to medium-low and stir in cream and butter, if using. Add pasta and stir together until well coated. Top with Parmesan and fold together. Adjust seasonings. Top each plate with extra Parmesan and cracked black pepper and serve.