a tavola - mushrooms
(more recipes)
Italians are wild about mushrooms. Autumn is the mushroom season and we
eat mushrooms alone and everything else with mushrooms in it and
accompanying it. Some of us would eat mushrooms every day. Here is a
sample of the hundreds of recipes I have for mushrooms. If you would like
more mushroom recipes, please do not hesitate to ask.
ANTIPASTO
Crostini Di Polenta ai Funghi - Polenta Crostini & Mushrooms
1 oz Dried porcini mushrooms
4 tb Olive oil
1 lg Red onion, finely minced
1 lb Fresh brown mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
3 sm Ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1 T Parsley
Salt & pepper
Polenta:
6 c Water
2 1/2 ts salt
2 c Cornmeal, finely ground
Olive oil
Soak the porcini mushrooms in warm water to cover for at least 45 minutes.
Carefully remove from liquid & rinse well under cold water. Chop roughly &
pat dry.
Heat olive oil in a heavy saute pot & saute onion until it is translucent &
soft. Add the garlic & all the mushrooms. Reduce heat to low & cook,
stirring intermittently, for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. Add the
tomatoes, parsley, salt & pepper & cook for another 5 minutes.
Polenta:
Bring the salted water to vigorous boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to low
& slowly sprinkle in the cornmeal in a thin stream, first whisking it in &
then stirring constantly being careful to eliminate any lumps. Keep the
water at a steady simmer and stir frequently. When it comes away from the
side of the pot, after 20 or 25 minutes, it is cooked. Check for salt.
Allow to cool by pouring onto a baking sheet & patting until it is as
smooth as possible.
Cut the polenta into slices that are 2" wide & 3" to 4" long. Brush
lightly with the olive oil. Broil until they are firm & lightly crisp on
both sides. Place a spoonful of the hot mushroom sauce on the top of each
crostini & serve.
Can be served as an appetizer, as an antipasto, as a side dish or as a main
dish.
Stuffed Mushrooms
1 lb. mushrooms
2 T. minced onion
1 T. parsley
3 T. butter
1/8 t. salt
1 c. soft bread crumbs
garlic powder (to taste)
2 T. parmesan cheese
few drops of milk
1/3 c. water
Clean mushrooms; pick out largest (16-18), remove stems and set aside. Dice
stems with remaining mushrooms. Saute diced pieces with onion in butter and
parsley. Add salt, bread crumbs, garlic powder and cheese. Add just enough
milk to make moist. Stuff reserved caps and place in shallow baking dish.
Add water to dish and bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 8
I PRIMI - FIRST COURSES
PASTA
Fettucine ai Funghi con Olio di Tartufi - Fettucine with Mushrooms and
Truffle Oil
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 or 4 dried morel mushrooms
1 cup vegetable stock or chicken broth, brought to a boil
5 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
4 to 6 ounces fresh mushrooms of choice (oyster, shiitakes, trompettes de
mort or horn of plenty, even cultivated mushrooms), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 ripe tomatoes, diced, or 1 basket cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or a mix of rosemary and Italian parsley
Pinch salt
Tiny pinch sugar
1 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons pesto
12 ounces dried fettuccine, or 1 pound fresh
Several generous shakes of truffle oil
Place porcini and morels in a bowl, wash them and then pour boiling stock
over them. Cover and rehydrate for about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
remove mushrooms and squeeze them over the bowl. Cut porcini into bite-size
pieces, and the morels into halves or quarters; set aside.
Stain soaking liquid through a cheesecloth- lined strainer. Discard grit at
bottom of pot.
Lightly saute shallots and half the garlic in 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Add sliced fresh mushrooms, cook a few minutes until they are just tender.
Add rehydrated mushrooms and cook a few moments. Transfer mushrooms to a
bowl and return pan to heat. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into pan and cook
over medium-high heat, letting it boil down to a reduced and intensely
flavored sauce; you should have only a few tablespoons. Pour this over
mushrooms.
Add a tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan and return to the heat. Add
the tomatoes and cook over high heat until they are warmed through and
slightly cooked. You do not want them to turn into a sauce -- they should
retain their fresh character. Stir in the remaining garlic, the rosemary,
salt and sugar. Add the tomatoes to the mushrooms.
Pour wine into pan and boil down to a few tablespoons; add to mushrooms
tomatoes.
Mix the pesto with the remaining olive oil, then smear the mixture around
the edges of the serving plates.
Cook the pasta until it is al dente; drain. Toss the hot pasta with the
mushroom and tomato sauce and the remaining tablespoon of butter, and
sprinkle with truffle oil. Mound a portion of the pasta in the center of
each plate.
Serves 6.
Ziti al Forno ai Funghi, Peperoni e Parmigiano - Baked Ziti with Mushrooms,
Peppers and Parmesan Cheese
3 large yellow bell peppers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms
2 medium red bell peppers
2 medium orange bell peppers
1 pound ziti
8 scallions (green part only)
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)
Chop yellow bell peppers and onion and mince garlic. In a 3- to 4-quart
heavy saucepan cook yellow peppers, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil,
covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until peppers are
soft, about 30 minutes. Stir in cream. In a blender puree mixture in batches
(use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl, and
season with salt and pepper. (Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled,
covered. Bring sauce to room temperature before proceeding.)
Thinly slice mushrooms lengthwise and cut red and orange bell peppers into
1/4-inch-wide strips. In a deep large heavy skillet cook mushrooms and
peppers in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat, stirring
occasionally, until peppers are softened and most of liquid is evaporated,
about 8 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375�F.
Fill a 6- to 7-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring
to a boil. Stir in ziti and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain ziti well in a colander. Rinse
ziti and drain well. Thinly slice scallion greens. Into sauce stir ziti,
mushroom mixture, scallion greens, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, reserved cooking
water, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into a 3-quart shallow
baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Bake ziti in middle of oven until hot and pasta begins to brown, about 20
minutes.
Serves 8 to 10
POLENTA
Baked Polenta With Mushrooms
6 c Polenta, cooked
1 ea Garlic clove, quartered
2 tb Olive oil
1 lb Mushrooms, sliced
2 tb Basil, chopped
1 pn Dried red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350F.
Spoon polenta into an oiled 8" X 12" baking dish & set aside.
Saute garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until garlic begins
to brown. About 5 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon &
discard. Add mushrooms & saute in flavoured oil until they soften.
They will only need 5 minutes or so. Stir in the basil, red pepper,
salt & pepper. Spread evenly over prepared polenta & bake for 15
minutes. Serve hot.
I SECONDI
CARNE
Vitello Arrosto con Funghi - Veal Roast with Mushrooms
1/3 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 oz bacon
2 lb of boned veal for roasting
salt and pepper
30 g / 1 oz / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
120 ml / 4 fl oz / * cup dry white wine
Ask your butcher to bone and roll the meat and to give you the bones. Put
them in the roasting pan with the meat because they add a great deal of
flavour to the sauce. This is a dish that can be served with Rosemary
potatoes
Soak the mushrooms in water for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess
liquid. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and reserve for a rice dish
or soup. In a small frying pan heat half the oil. Add the mushrooms and
cook over moderate heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season
and sprinkle with the thyme. Finely chop the mushrooms and bacon together
to reduce to a paste. Using a larding needle, make a hole through the
entire length of the meat. Fill it with the bacon and mushroom paste.
Season with salt and pepper.
In a roasting pan heat the butter and the rest of the oil over moderate
heat. Add the meat and the bones and brown on all sides. Transfer the pan
to a pre-heated 180�C / 350�C / gas 4 oven. Roast for one hour, basting
occasionally. Remove the meat to a serving plate and keep warm.
Discard the bones. Put the roasting pan over moderate heat. Add the wine
and deglaze the cooking juices, scraping the pan well. Untie the roast and
cut it into slices. Pour the cooking juices over the sliced meat and serve
at once.
Serves 6
POLLO
Pollo alla Marsala con Funghi - Chicken & Mushrooms Marsala
1 cn (15 Oz.) Tomato Sauce with Herbs
8 oz Mushrooms Sliced
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
a pinch of Pepper
2 lb Frying Chicken Pieces, Skinned
2 T Marsala Wine
In a13 X 9 X 2 Inch baking dish,mix tomato sauce, mushrooms, sugar, salt &
pepper. Place cicken in dish & coat With sauce mixture. Cover Tightly With
Foil & Bake At 350 F. For 30 Min. Turn Chicken Over & Bake, Uncovered, 30
Min. Longer. Place Chicken On serving platter. Stir Marsala Into sauce &
pour over.
Serves 4
PIATTI DI VERDURA/VEGETARIANI - VEGETABLE/VEGETARIAN
Funghi Portobello alla Griglia con Gorgonzola - Grilled Portobello
Mushrooms with Gorgonzola
2 cleaned and stemmed portebello mushrooms
2 oz (56 grm) extra virgin olive oil
1 oz (28 grm) gorgonzola cheese (preferably imported)
4 oz (112 grm) heavy cream
Pinch of cayenne pepper
A few pieces of dry roasted walnuts
Brush on oil, completely cover, let excess oil drip off
Either grill or pan fry to sear at high heat, then reduce or move to medium
heat until mushrooms get soft to the touch (mushrooms are brittle but when
cooked the become more plyable). Keep warm.
Scald cream, remove from heat, add cheese, and pepper, and place back on
low heat and reduce until thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
Slice mushrooms 1/4 inch thick. Fan on a plate, cover with sauce, garnish
with walnuts and a sprig of italian parsley.
Peperoni Ripieni di Funghi - Peppers Stuffed with Mushrooms
6 yellow peppers
4 1/2 tbsp. dried mushrooms
1 1/2 cups stale bread with the crust removed
1 egg - salt - pepper
5 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
1/2 cup extra-vergine olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350� F.
Roast the peppers, remove the skins and rinse them in water. Remove the
stems, seeds and filaments, keeping the peppers whole. Place them on a
towel to dry.
Soak the mushrooms in warm water and carefully wash them afterward. Soak
the bread in water, then squeeze out excess moisture. Put the mushrooms and
bread in a blender, add the egg, a pinch of salt and another of pepper and
the grated Parmesan. Reduce to a thick paste. Stuff the peppers with the
paste and place them in a deep baking dish, standing upright on their
bases. Baste with oil and bake the peppers in a 350� F. oven for at least
30 minutes. Put the peppers on a platter and serve
Serves 6
Tortino ai Porcini - Porcini Mushroom Pie
3 medium potatoes
3 tomatoes
6 porcini mushrooms
4 cloves garlic
2 ounces olive oil
parsley
oregano
salt and pepper.
Slice ingredients and place in a baking dish in layers, as you would
with lasagna. Bake in the oven for twenty minutes at 375 degrees.
Serves 4
INSALATA
Alice's Fresh Mushroom Salad
This is a recipe my decesased husband, Vittorio taught me.
Chop some fresh parsley and garlic. Put it aside
Wash, dry and thinly slice very fresh white button mushrooms and put them
in a salad bowl.
Add the parsley and garlic one tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons
of extra virgin olive oil.
Optional: Roasted sweet red pepper diced
Mix gently but thoroughly and serve.
Insalata di Funghi Porcini - Porcini Mushroom Salad
1lb.2 oz. small firm porcini mushrooms (boletus edulis)
1 celery heart cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Parmesan flaked
Lemon Vinaigrette
Wash the mushrooms with a brush. Rinse them briefly under running water
and dry them well.
Slice them very thin and put them in a salad bowl with the finely cut
celery heart and the parmesan flakes.
Dress with a lemon vinaigrette - 1 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with 3
tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
I DOLCI - DESSERT
Pere al Gorgonzola - Pears with Gorgonzola
12 pears
White wine
150 gr. Gorgonzola
400 gr. di Mascarpone
sugar
cannella
cinnamon, clove
Peel and core 1 2 pears. Put in a pan and cover with the white wine.
Add the sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and a clove. Boil for about 5
minutes, then drain the pears and let them to cool.
Mix the Gorgonzola and Mascrpone cheese well and stuff the pears with . the
mixture.
Serves 4
Mele al forno Alice - Alice's Baked apples
6 golden delicious apples washed
1/4 cup butter
6 tbsp sugar
6 tsp redcurrant or apricot jam
1 pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp raisins soaked for half an hour in apricot brandy.
Core the apples leaving a little pulp on the bottom to stop the juice
running out. Place them in a buttered oven dish. Mix the jam with the
raisins (squeezed to rid them of excess liquid) and the cinnamon and place
a little in each apple center. Put a piece of butter on top and sprinkle
with sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180�C/350�F/4G. Serve either
warm or at room temperature
Serves 6