Delightful Creamy Morel Mushroom Pasta: Your Ultimate Spring Foraging Recipe Guide
Experience the unparalleled taste of spring with this exquisite creamy morel mushroom pasta. If you’re fortunate enough to forage for these elusive wild treasures or find them at your local market, this delicate, rich dish is guaranteed to impress your guests and elevate your culinary repertoire. It’s a truly rare seasonal treat that celebrates the bounty of the forest.
The Thrill of the Hunt: My Foraging Journey for Wild Morel Mushrooms
My culinary adventures have taken an exciting turn, transforming me into an ardent mushroom enthusiast, all thanks to my dear friend and seasoned mushroom mentor, Alex. It wasn’t always this way; I used to be quite hesitant about foraging for wild mushrooms, as I recounted in this earlier post. The idea of identifying edible fungi in the wild felt daunting. However, with Alex’s patient guidance and infectious passion, my world of fungi-foraging has truly ‘mushroomed’ into a rewarding hobby!
Our foraging escapades have yielded incredible results. Last fall, we reveled in a huge puffball extravaganza, creating delicious dishes from our abundant harvest. Following that, we crafted a sublime wild mushroom risotto using the delightful honey mushrooms we found. These experiences, under Alex’s expert eye, have made me confident and comfortable plucking these delectable morsels directly from the forest floor, connecting with nature in a profound way.
So, when her call came last week with the exciting news, “The morels are ready!”, I didn’t hesitate for a second. My rubber boots were on, and a pail was in hand, ready for the adventure, before you could even say ‘mushroom-mooching mama’. The anticipation of finding these rare spring gems is truly intoxicating.
Hunting the Elusive Morel: A Spring Forest Adventure
We embarked on an exhilarating journey, spending several hours traversing the enchanting spring forest. Our quest for these elusive mushrooms often involved scrambling on hands and knees, navigating under dense bushes and low-hanging branches. Morels are particularly fond of moist, shady hollows, and they are incredibly cunning, masterfully camouflaging themselves amidst the rich tapestry of brown leaves that carpet the forest floor in spring. It’s a true test of observation and patience, turning the hunt into an engaging treasure search.
Morels truly are captivating fungi, with their distinctive wrinkly, honeycomb-like caps perched atop tall, creamy-colored stems. Their whimsical appearance never fails to bring a smile to my face. I often entertain the notion that when we ‘lumbering’ humans aren’t around, these lively little morels probably engage in all sorts of playful shenanigans with the resident wood fairies. I picture them throwing grand parties in the dappled shade of the forest, dancing, giggling, and perhaps even sharing a laugh at our clumsy attempts to find them.
The experience of tromping through the trees on a crisp spring evening is pure joy. The forest enveloped us in a serene calmness, rich with the earthy scent of wet leaves and the fresh fragrance of new growth. It’s a sensory feast that deepens the connection to the food we are about to prepare.
After several hours of delightful searching, with a few twigs tangled in our hair and a minor rip in my pants, Alex and I returned with a modest, yet deeply satisfying, harvest in our pails. Each morel felt like a small victory, a testament to our perseverance and the forest’s generosity.
From Forest to Feast: Preparing Your Morel Mushrooms for Pasta
Bringing the precious cargo home, the next crucial step was careful preparation. I meticulously picked over the morel mushrooms, ensuring no tiny critters had hitched a ride from the forest. This gentle cleaning process is essential to preserve their delicate flavor and texture.
After inspection, I carefully trimmed off any longer stems and then gave them a quick, gentle rinse in a colander under cool running water. It’s important not to soak morels, as they can absorb too much water. Following the rinse, I laid them out to air dry a bit on a clean tea towel, ensuring they were ready to absorb the rich flavors of our creamy pasta sauce.
These particular early morels, specifically a type known as Verpa bohemica (often referred to as early false morels), are remarkably moist and juicy. They differ quite a bit from the regular morels we harvested by the lake a few years prior. Their high moisture content contributes wonderfully to the sauce. To begin, I sautéed a couple of finely chopped shallots and a minced clove of garlic in fragrant butter. Once translucent, I added the prepared morels to the pan. As they cooked, they released a generous amount of liquid, which, far from being a problem, actually formed the foundation of a fantastic, flavorful sauce. A few sprigs of fresh thyme and a splash of Marsala wine completed the aromatic base, instantly filling the kitchen with the tantalizing essence of a spring forest.
Prepare your favorite pasta, ensuring it’s cooked perfectly al dente—nice and chewy. Then, simply top each serving with generous spoonfuls of these creamy morels. Close your eyes, and with each forkful, you can almost hear the gentle rustling of leaves as you wander down a peaceful forest path. It’s an immersive culinary experience that transports you directly to the heart of spring.
Indeed, a plateful of spring heaven, promising a taste of the wild with every bite.
* * * * *
Pasta with Morel Mushrooms in a Delicate Cream Sauce
Margaret Bose Johnson
Save to Pinterest
Ingredients
- 350 grams (12 oz) penne pasta gluten-free or regular
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped or 1 cup onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 cups (500gms fresh) morel mushrooms (or substitute other mushrooms of your choice), rinsed and dried on a towel, long stems cut in half
- 2 tablespoons dry marsala wine or sherry
- several sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce gluten-free if necessary
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream/whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- a drizzle of truffle oil – optional, but highly recommended
Instructions
- Begin by setting a large pot of generously salted water on the stove to boil for your pasta. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the penne pasta (or your chosen shape) and cook according to the package directions until it’s perfectly al dente, meaning it’s firm to the bite.
- While your pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and minced garlic, sautéing until they become fragrant and translucent, which should take approximately 2 minutes. Next, add the whole morel mushrooms (or halves if stems were long), Marsala wine, fresh thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce it to medium-high and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring the mushrooms occasionally. If you’re using regular cultivated mushrooms instead of morels, you might need to add up to a cup of chicken or vegetable broth at this stage to ensure enough liquid to create a luscious sauce.
- In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, cornstarch, and grated Parmesan cheese until smooth. Pour this mixture into the bubbling mushrooms and stir gently. Allow it to cook for just one more minute, or until the sauce slightly thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Drain the cooked pasta and divide it evenly among serving plates. Generously top each portion with several spoonfuls of the rich morel mushroom cream sauce. For an extra touch of gourmet flavor, drizzle each plate with a bit of truffle oil, if desired, just before serving.
- This recipe beautifully serves 4 people as a hearty main course, or can be portioned into 6 smaller servings if offered as an elegant appetizer course.
Notes
If the rare opportunity to find or purchase fresh morel mushrooms isn’t available, don’t despair! You can successfully substitute with other wild mushrooms like chanterelles or oyster mushrooms, or even use readily available button or cremini mushrooms. Simply tear them into irregular sized chunks with your fingers to mimic the morels’ natural form. Keep in mind that other mushrooms may not release as much natural liquid as morels, so you might need to add a splash of chicken or vegetable broth to achieve a wonderfully thin, yet generous, sauce that beautifully coats the pasta.
For convenience, the morel sauce (without the cream and Parmesan cheese) can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce on the stovetop and then stir in the cream, cornstarch, and Parmesan cheese just before serving to maintain its fresh, creamy texture.
To truly elevate the delicate, earthy flavor of the mushrooms, a final drizzle of high-quality truffle oil over the finished dish is a highly recommended, optional touch. It adds a layer of luxurious aroma that complements the morels perfectly.
Guten Appetit!
Enjoy this delightful taste of spring, a truly special meal that brings the essence of the forest to your table.
Sign up here to receive new Kitchen Frau recipes directly to your email inbox. Each recipe comes with a handy and useful kitchen tip, ensuring your cooking always reaches new heights.
If you enjoy my recipes and culinary explorations, I’d be thrilled if you followed me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. Your support truly makes my day!
Don’t forget to Pin this recipe if you want to save it for later and share it with your friends! It’s a spring masterpiece worth bookmarking.
You might also enjoy these delectable mushroom recipes:
Wild Mushroom Risotto: A Hearty and Flavorful Dish
Nature’s Gift: Fresh Trout, Morels, and a Side of Bannock – A Forager’s Dream Meal
Earthy Wild Rice and Mushrooms: A Perfect Side or Vegetarian Main
Juicy Grilled Mushrooms: Simple, Flavorful, and Versatile