Name: Orecchiette with cavolo nero and porcini
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 30 gm dried porcini; 2½ tbsp olive oil; 150 gm mild pancetta, diced; ½ onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 80 ml dry white wine; 1 bunch cavolo nero, stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped; 400 gm dried orecchiette; To serve: extra-virgin olive oil and shaved parmesan

Dried porcini add a real flavour hit to pasta and sauces. If you can find interesting fresh forest mushrooms, they’d also work well here.

Ingredients

30 gm dried porcini

2½ tbsp olive oil

150 gm mild pancetta, diced

½ onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

80 ml dry white wine

1 bunch cavolo nero, stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped

400 gm dried orecchiette

To serve: extra-virgin olive oil and shaved parmesan

Method

1.Rehydrate porcini in a small bowl with 150ml boiling water for 5 minutes.

2.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add pancetta and fry until browned (3-5 minutes). Add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and just golden (5-7 minutes). Add wine and cavolo nero and cook until wine is reduced and cavolo nero wilts (3-5 minutes).

3.Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente (10-12 minutes). Drain, add to cavolo nero and season to taste.

4.Drain porcini, reserving a little water, chop and add to pan with a few splashes of porcini water to loosen the pasta. Gently combine and serve hot topped with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and plenty of parmesan.

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd