Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, onion, red pepper, garlic, cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, heavy cream, whole grain penne, porcini mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley or basil.
Today was the day I finally used the tiny package of dehydrated porcini mushrooms that has scowled at me every time I opened the door to my pantry over the past few months. I’m so glad I did. I was worried they might have gone bad but they turned out to be anything but. This was the first time I’d ever used whole, dehydrated mushrooms for anything. I had bought them almost as a novelty item since I couldn’t find porcini powder and thought there must be something I could use them for. Immediately upon opening the puffed-up, air-filled package they came in, my nose was overwhelmed by their pungent, sweet, and earthy aroma. Expecting them to be stale, I was shocked at how good they smelled and felt irritated that I had to rehydrate them for 30-60 minutes before I could even try one. The wait time was more than enough for me to bring the penne to al dente and to prep the other ingredients. After sweating the hell out of the onions and peppers in olive oil, I added the minced garlic, the cherry tomatoes, and the pepper flakes. A few more minutes in, I poured in the heavy cream and watched it take on the reddish hues of the peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. It was mouthwatering. Once the porcini mushrooms passed the 30 minute mark, I drained, rinsed, and dried them. Next, I lightly sautéed them in clarified butter. I can’t begin to describe how amazing my kitchen smelled at this point. It was as if the porcini mushrooms had awakened from a state of hibernation and were returning to life again. I added the mushrooms to the cream and veggies allowing the mixture to fully absorb the wonderful porcini flavor. After several minutes, I added the pasta. I served the dish topped with some freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley. This was by far the best, and most flavorful, pasta dish I had ever made and it was all thanks to the tiny bag of dehydrated porcini mushrooms that sat neglected in my pantry for months.
James