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Tagliolini with Favette, Morel Mushrooms, Saffron and Aged Parmigiano

Jul 8
2 min read

Story of the Dish

This is a spring luxury pasta: fresh favette, earthy morel mushrooms, saffron and aged Parmigiano. It has the elegance of northern Italy but with Mediterranean brightness. The favette bring sweetness, the mushrooms bring depth, saffron gives perfume, and Parmigiano ties everything together.

This is the kind of pasta that feels simple but tastes expensive.

Ingredients

Serves 4

400 g fresh tagliolini / about 14 oz
250 g shelled fresh fava beans / about 1 1/2 cups
150 g fresh morel mushrooms / about 5 oz

or 30 g dried morels / about 1 oz
1 small pinch saffron threads
80 g aged Parmigiano Reggiano, grated / about 3/4 cup
60 g butter / about 4 tablespoons
1 small shallot, finely chopped
60 ml dry white wine / 1/4 cup
Salt, for pasta water
Black pepper, to taste

Preparation

If using dried morels, soak them in warm water until soft, then strain the soaking liquid carefully and save it.

Blanch the favette for 1 minute, cool in ice water and peel if needed.

In a wide pan, melt half the butter and cook the shallot gently. Add the morels and cook until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine and reduce. Add saffron with a little hot pasta water or morel liquid.

Cook the tagliolini very briefly in salted boiling water, removing them 2 minutes before al dente.

Transfer the tagliolini into the pan with the morels and saffron. Add pasta water little by little and finish cooking in the pan, tossing gently until the starch creates a silky sauce.

Add the favette near the end so they stay green.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining butter and Parmigiano. Toss until creamy and glossy.

Plate immediately with black pepper and extra Parmigiano.

Wine Pairing

Pair with Arneis from Piedmont or Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Both wines have enough freshness for the favette and enough structure for mushrooms and saffron.

Chef Tips

Fresh tagliolini cook very fast. Pull them out early and finish them in the pan. The sauce should be silky, not watery. Add Parmigiano off the heat so it emulsifies instead of clumping.

Chef Gianluca Deiana