Porcini Ragù

Ingredients

• Boiling water, for soaking the porcini
• 40g dried porcini mushrooms
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1g crushed red pepper, or less, if preferred
• 30g finely chopped fresh parsley stems and leaves, plus more for serving
• 60ml olive oil, plus more for serving
• 25g tomato paste
• About 250g dried tagliatelle nests
• 45g Parmesan, very finely grated, plus more for serving
• 45ml heavy cream

Instructions

1. Cover the mushrooms with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 75 ml soaking liquid. Very finely chop the mushrooms to the consistency of ground meat and set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Put the oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, parsley and about 1.5 g salt into a cold, large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Fry very gently until soft and lightly golden, 5 minutes, lowering the heat if the garlic starts to brown.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the chopped mushrooms, tomato paste and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, about 2 to 3 g. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, then set the pan aside while you boil the pasta.
4. Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water until al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 420 ml pasta water.
5. Return the mushroom mixture to medium-high heat, then stir in 360 ml reserved pasta water and the 75 ml reserved porcini soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble for 3 minutes.
6. Add half the Parmesan, stirring until it has melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat to medium, then stir in the cream, followed by the drained tagliatelle. Toss over the heat until the pasta and sauce have emulsified, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta looks dry. Remove from the heat and serve at once with olive oil, Parmesan and parsley.