This ragù is unadulterated shroom nirvana for mycophiles. There is something criminally satisfying about this earthy and exotic ragoùt, bursting with umami fungi flavor. The mushroom melange and the velvety sauce makes for a very robust and satisfying pasta. It’s so outstanding a dish that I’m betting money carnivores will delight as much as vegetarians!
1 LB of Tagliatelle – preferably fresh
½ LB of Cremini mushrooms
½ LB of Chanterelle mushrooms
½ pound of Baby Bellas
½ LB of Shitake mushrooms
½ LB of Oyster mushrooms
2 large shallots – chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic – through a garlic press
¼ cup of Bourbon
4 TBSP of olive oil and 1 TBSP of butter
¼ cup of vegetable stock
1 TBSP mushroom Demiglace
1 TSP minced fresh rosemary
1 TSP minced fresh thyme
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
In a skillet with deep sides, add the Shitake mushrooms first and sauté in some olive oil and a bit of butter over medium heat until soft. Transfer to a bowl. Do the same with the other mushrooms, you might have to do it in two batches as they will overcrowd the skillet.
In the same skillet, add some olive oil, 1 TBSP of butter and sweat the shallots and garlic for a few minutes, add the fresh rosemary and thyme cook for 1 minute or so. Splash in the bourbon and allow to evaporate – about 2 minutes. Add stock, demiglace and fresh cracked pepper to the skillet and allow to reduce a few minutes. Incorporate the cooked mushrooms.
Cook the pasta and drain reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix well with the ragoût adding a bit of the pasta water to the sauce. Finish with fresh chopped parsley and the Parmigiano-Reggiano
NOTE
Correct seasonings before adding the pasta to the skillet. The demiglace is typically a bit salty as well as the Parm and so you may not need to add additional salt.
