Whilst Hunting......

With the hunting season well under way it's often forgotten that many hunters whilst hunting game also search for other wild foods.

Take for example last Sunday I was hunting for Cinghiale on a very cold, wet and miserable morning. The skies were overcast and there wasn't a hint or a sniff of live game. I was in half a mind to pack it in until Domenico urshered me over to a small patch of woods. He said "look there," and from the corner of my eye I could see small Porcini mushrooms on the cold damp earth near to an old tree. Domenico had such glee he immediately went over to them little gold treasures and picked the lot. He kept saying "What a find." Later I learnt that the climate hadn't been the best recently for mushrooms. He offered me half of them which I declined as I like to find my own.

We continued hunting for the rest of the day, but luck wasn't with us. Besides it was a bitterly cold Sunday which was surprising for this time of year.

Anyway with Porcini Mushrooms in my mind here is a little recipe that I often use.

Tagliatelle con Fungi Porcini.

First take about 150g of dried wild Porcini mushrooms from last season. the longer you leave them the more intense the flavour. Put the mushrooms in a small bowl, add 200ml of warm water, leave to rest for about 2 hours.

Then in 2 hours chop about 200g of fresh champignon mushrooms and add to a meduim heat pan with a knob of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry until lightly browned, add the Porcini mushrooms, but not the liquor. After 5 minutes add one chopped onion and 4 chopped cloves of garlic cook for about 10 minutes. Add the liquor and leave to simmer for 30 minutes until sauce has reduced by 1/3.

Whilst sauce is reducing make the pasta. Take 300g of good wild wheet flour, place on work surface and add three eggs, pinch of salt and tablespoon of olive oil. Mix lightly together and run through pasta maker to number 3 grade pasta thickness. Cut then to Tagliatelle size and dust well with flour.

Bring salted water to the boil with tablespoon of olive oil.

Now with the sauce add 200ml of double cream or better Italian panna simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add Pasta to boiling water for 3 minutes.

Then serve staight away with sauce tossed through the pasta.

I have 3 children aged 12, 9, 3 who love this recipe.