Porcini Mushrooms With Beans Al Cartoccio Recipes

RAVIOLO AL UOVO

Steps:

• Cover the porcinis with hot or room temp water and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Remove from the liquid with a slotted spoon before dicing into small pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss the chanterelles with olive oil and season with salt. Put on a sheet tray and roast in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Reserve for garnish.
• To a saute pan over medium-high heat, add the guanciale and render until crispy. Transfer the guanciale with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate. To the guanciale fat in the pan, add the sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 30 seconds. Season the sage leaves with salt. Crumble the sage and set aside. Reserve the guanciale and sage for garnish.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmigiano, parsley, 2 whole eggs and the diced porcinis; mix well and season with salt.
• Dust a clean work surface lightly with all-purpose flour and lay out 2 sheets (at least 12 inches long) of the rolled Chef Anne's All-Purpose Pasta Dough; brush them lightly with water. Equally space 4 dollops of the ricotta mixture on each pasta sheet, then use a spoon to make a "nest" or small hole in the center of each dollop. Carefully separate the remaining 8 eggs one at a time and put a yolk in each ricotta "nest" the ricotta should lovingly nestle each yolk (if a yolk breaks, scoop it out with a spoon and don't use it).
• Cover each sheet of ricotta "nests" and egg yolks with another sheet of pasta. Use your index fingers to press around each ricotta nest to seal the edges, then use a fluted ring cutter or dough roller to cut around each ravioli (they should be 3 to 4 inches in diameter). Reserve the ravioli on a tray generously dusted with semolina.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. In a large saute pan, melt 1/2 stick of the butter and add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock (you're going to use the remainder for your next batch); add a sage sprig and season with salt. Bring this to boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Add 4 of the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, no more. Using a spider or slotted spoon, carefully transfer the ravioli from the water to the pan with the butter and chicken stock and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce reduces too much, add a few drops of the pasta cooking water. The sauce should cling to the ravioli in a buttery hug. Repeat with the remaining 4 ravioli, using the remaining 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup chicken stock and 1 sprig sage to make the sauce.
• Transfer the ravioli to serving plates, 1 per plate. Spoon a little extra sauce over each one and finish with a sprinkey-dink of the grated Parm, guanciale, chanterelles and fried sage.
• Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, water and salt.
• Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don't worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.
• When kneading, it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done, the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun! When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately after that, do not refrigerate.
• Roll and cut the pasta into the desired shape. How smooth and supple!

PORCINI AND WHITE BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Bring stock and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pan. Add porcini. Let stand until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove porcini with a slotted spoon; coarsely chop. Set aside. Strain soaking liquid through cheesecloth; set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add white mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in porcini, tomatoes, rosemary, soaking liquid, and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove cooked rosemary; discard. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

WILD MUSHROOM CARTOCCIO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F for 30 minutes (425 degrees F for convection ovens). Lay a large piece of parchment paper atop a large piece of aluminum foil. (The dimensions should be about 24" long by 16" wide.) Spread the softened butter on the parchment, making sure to leave a 1½-inch border, and set aside. Combine the spring onions, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and mushrooms in a bowl. Add the olive oil, a pinch of lemon zest, and toss well. Season with the salt and toss again.
• Spread the mushroom mixture out evenly over one side of the parchment-foil. Fold the other half of the foil and parchment over the mixture. (You may need to remove some excess mixture if it is too crowded and make a second cartoccio.) Starting on one end, crimp the edges closed, folding over in pleats. Leave a 2-inch gap on the other end and add the stock through that hole. Make sure the stock is poured evenly so that you will be able to seal the cartoccio. Seal the cartoccio by folding/crimping; if it is not sealed properly, it won't expand. It should look like a half moon, with the foil on top and the parchment in the center enclosing the mushrooms. Place the cartoccio on a flat baking sheet or in a gratin dish and place it in the oven for 15 minutes if using a convection oven, 20 minutes if using a conventional oven. The cartoccio should expand and look like a small Zeppelin.
• Remove the bag from the oven and cut it open using kitchen scissors or chef's knife (be careful to avoid being burned by the hot steam). Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and lemon juice to taste. Plate the mushrooms, pour the jus on top, and serve alongside bread, pasta, fish, or on its own.

PORCINI AL CARTOCCIO: PORCINI COOKED IN FOIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Divide the mushrooms, garlic, mint leaves into 4 equal portions.
• Take 2 sheets of aluminum foil and place them on top of each other to create a sturdier base. Lift all 4 sides up to create a container. Place once portion each mushrooms, garlic, and mint leaves in the center. Drizzle with a 1/4 of the extra-virgin olive oil and white wine. Season with salt and pepper. Grab all the sides of the aluminum foil and tightly seal them closed, to prevent the steam from escaping.
• Repeat the above process 3 more times to create 4 individual servings. Place the packages in the oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the sealed aluminum foil packages immediately. Allow each guest to open their own individual packages to experience all the aromas contained.

MRS. G'S GREEN BEAN AND PORCINI MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the topping: Pulse bread, butter, salt, and pepper in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses.
• Transfer to large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.
• For the beans: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook until bright green and slightly crunchy, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Drain beans and plunge immediately into large bowl filled with ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans out onto paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• Meanwhile, cover dried porcini with 1/2 cup hot tap water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes.
• Lift mushrooms from the liquid with fork and mince using chef's knife (you should have about 2 tablespoons).
• Pour liquid through paper towel-lined sieve and reserve.
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms and cook until mushrooms release their moisture, about 2 minutes.
• Add porcini mushrooms along with their strained soaking liquid, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook until all mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.
• Add flour and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and reduce heat to medium.
• Stir in cream and simmer gently until sauce has consistency of dense soup, about 15 minutes.
• Arrange beans in 3-quart gratin dish. Pour mushroom mixture over beans and mix to coat beans evenly.
• Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

SAUTéED PORCINI MUSHROOMS WITH SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Detach the caps from the stems of the mushrooms. Wipe the caps clean with a damp dish towel to get rid of any dirt. Clean the stems, and cut into two or three pieces each, lengthwise. If the caps are small, leave them whole; if not, cut them into large chunks.
• Coat a large frying pan with a thin film of oil. Put over medium heat, and sauté the large pieces of mushroom for a few minutes before adding any smaller pieces. Toss periodically, cooking until they turn golden brown and their liquid has been released. Drain on paper towels.
• Return the drained mushrooms to the skillet, and add the parsley and garlic or shallot. Sauté over medium heat for a minute or two, and serve sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste.