Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Guanciale
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Vegetables and Meat
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy but labor intensive

Pappardelle is a flat and wide pasta about an inch across.  It’s one of my favorite pastas because it wraps itself around the ingredients in the sauce in a way that allows every bite to be explosively flavorful.  In this recipe, I ask that you use guanciale, a cured pig’s jowl that has only recently been available in the United States, made, in fact, in California and available at http://www.nimanranch.com/.  In its place you can use pancetta, and finally, bacon.  This dish is quite luscious and if you are making it as a first course I would follow it by a simple main course, perhaps a roast turkey breast and some spinach.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ounce guanciale or pancetta, very thinly sliced

½ red onion, very finely chopped

3 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 celery stalk, very finely chopped

1 small carrot, very finely chopped

6 ounces button (white or common) mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

½ cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with ½ cup water

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

½ pound pappardelle

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg (optional)

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1. In a large flameproof casserole, melt the butter with the olive oil and guanciale over medium heat, then cook the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, mushrooms, and parsley, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and water, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring.  Add the cream and oregano and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.  Drain without rinsing. Transfer the pasta to the casserole and toss a few times.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary.  Add the egg, if using, and parmigiano cheese and toss again then serve hot.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 02/05/2007

Needed Recipes:

Tomato Sauce

Related Recipes:

Fettuccine with Portobello Mushrooms

Pappardelle with Oyster Mushrooms and Mascarpone

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Tomatoes