Paccheri with Porcini Cream (VG) from Mildred’s Easy Vegan

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

Paccheri is a cute, short, wide pasta originating in Campania in Southern Italy; it looks a little like cut-up rigatoni. The word means ‘hands’, and is still used in Italian to describe an open-handed, friendly pat. As the story goes, paccheri pasta was invented to smuggle Italian garlic cloves across borders; they were tucked into the pasta. Look for pasta made from 100 per cent semolina wheat; this means it will retain its shape and firmness when cooked. This recipe uses dried porcini to create a rich and creamy sauce packed with flavour (but please note they need an hour to soak). This is perfect with a glass of red wine.

Serves 4

30g (1oz) dried porcini

300ml (½ pint) boiling water

400g (14oz) paccheri or schiaffoni pasta

80g (2¾oz) plant-based butter

½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

300g (10½oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced

200ml (7fl oz) plant based cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

Place the porcini in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave to soak for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure the mushrooms are rehydrating evenly. When the porcini are nicely puffed up and tender, drain, reserving the soaking liquor. Chop the porcini into small chunks.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for 3 minutes less than instructed on the packet, then drain, reserving the cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauté pan or large non-stick frying pan with the oil over a low–medium heat. Add the garlic, chilli and thyme and cook gently for 2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the chestnut mushrooms and chopped porcini and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the porcini soaking liquor, then increase the heat to medium–high and cook for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid by about half. Add the cream and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Remove about half the sauce and transfer it to a blender, along with half a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth, then return to the pan and stir to combine.

Add the drained pasta to the pan with the creamy sauce and stir to combine, then add about 200ml (7fl oz) of the pasta cooking water. Cover with a lid and let the liquid reduce by about half so that the sauce coats the pasta – this should take about 5 minutes. If it starts to become too dry, add another splash of the cooking water.

Add the chopped parsley and stir for 1 minute more, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle over the toasted walnuts and serve.