“Considering Broome’s isolation, the team at Café Carlotta continues to amaze me with its flavoursome Italian cuisine. I would love to have Jason Viola’s recipe for wild mushroom pasta, which is divine. “
Kerry Margitich, via email
Request a recipe
To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.
If you’re short of time, use store-bought dried or fresh tagliatelle.
Ingredients
Pasta dough
Napoli sauce
Method
Main
1.For pasta dough, combine ingredients in bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment and mix until smooth, adding 30ml water or enough to bring dough together. On a lightly floured surface knead until smooth, shape into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and stand in a cool place for 1 hour. Divide into four pieces, then knead each piece on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Using a pasta machine set at the widest setting, feed floured pieces through the rollers, reducing settings notch by notch, until dough is 3mm thick. Using a 10mm wide fettuccine cutter, cut pasta into strips, place on a lightly floured tray and stand for 1 hour to dry.
2.For Napoli sauce, combine olive oil, onion, sugar and ½ tsp sea salt in a frying pan over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens and starts to colour, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes about ½ cup.
3.Soak porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 15 minutes or until soft. Squeeze excess water from mushrooms, coarsely chop, and set aside. Strain soaking liquid and reserve.
4.Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, cook garlic for 2 minutes or until soft, add porcini and cook for 3 minutes. Add wine and ¼ cup reserved porcini liquid, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until thick. Add Napoli sauce and chilli, season to taste and cook for 5 minutes or until thick enough to coat pasta. Add Roma tomatoes, pine nuts and thyme. Season to taste. Keep warm.
5.Meanwhile, bring 5 litres of water to the boil and add 1 tsp olive oil and sea salt to taste. Cook pasta in batches, returning water to boil and cooking for 3-4 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to porcini sauce. Serve immediately with shaved parmesan.