Ingredients
Base Mushrooms and Broth
- ¼ oz dried morel mushrooms
- 1 cup hot water
- Olive oil, as needed
- ½ lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and roughly diced
- ½ lb shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly cracked black pepper, as needed
Aromatics and Sauce
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pasta and Finishing
- ¾ lb dried pappardelle
- ½ lemon, juiced
Extra (Optional) Mushrooms
- ½ lb blue oyster mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into smaller pieces
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Soak Morel Mushrooms: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Place the dried morel mushrooms in a bowl and submerge in the hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate and soften.
- Prepare Ingredients: Measure and prep all other ingredients, as the cooking process will move quickly once started.
- Sauté Cremini and Shiitake Mushrooms: Heat a 10-inch by 2-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Once hot, add the cremini and shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Add Morel Mushrooms: Drain the soaked morels, reserving the soaking liquid (mushroom broth). Roughly chop the morels and add them to the pan with cremini and shiitake mushrooms.
- Cook Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and garlic to the pan and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
- Add Broth and Herbs: Pour in the chicken broth, along with the bay leaf, chopped fresh oregano, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 2 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- Make Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and the reserved mushroom broth from the soaking morels. Season the mixture well with salt and pepper. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer.
- Incorporate Parmesan: Whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to thicken it and develop the flavors.
- Cook Pappardelle: At the same time, cook the dried pappardelle pasta in the boiling salted water for 1 minute less than the package instructions to keep it al dente.
- Prepare Extra Mushrooms (Optional): While the sauce simmers and pasta cooks, heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. When hot, add the blue oyster mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, then turn off heat and stir in the butter and lemon juice for brightness.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Drain the pappardelle and add it directly to the mushroom cream sauce. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and toss well to coat every strand uniformly with sauce.
- Serve: Plate the creamy pappardelle and top with the extra sautéed oyster mushrooms if using. Spoon plenty of the luscious mushroom cream sauce over the pasta and mushrooms and serve immediately.
Notes
- The soaking liquid from morel mushrooms adds extra flavor; be sure to reserve and use it in the sauce.
- If blue oyster mushrooms aren’t available, substitute with other oyster mushroom varieties or omit.
- To keep the sauce thick, simmer gently and stir often to prevent burning.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting and flavor integration.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste, especially when adding optional mushrooms, as they may vary in seasoning needs.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
