The chanterelle season seems longer this year and my local Coscto has had boxes and boxes of them for the past 6 weeks – picked then shipped from the wildest wilds of Oregon. I’m not complaining but I am running out of room in my freezer (they freeze brilliantly when sautéed in butter until golden).

So…I feel I have no other choice but to eat a lot of them for as long as they’re available!

If you can’t find chanterelles, use any old ‘shroom.

FRESH TAGLIATELLE WITH CHANTERELLES & PANCETTA

(Enough for 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 oz of pancetta, finely chopped

5-6 fat shallots, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

1-1.5lbs (454 – 680g) of fresh chanterelles, wiped clean of forest debris and cut into similar sized pieces

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.5 cups (300ml) of good chicken stock

1lb (454g) of fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle

Lots of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese – at least a big handful

A scattering of Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

Action:

Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep sauté pan and cook the pancetta until golden. Add the chopped rosemary and shallots and continue to cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, then add the chanterelles.

Give everything a good grind of salt and black pepper and continue to sauté until the mushrooms are soft, then add the stock – simmer for about 5 minutes while you cook the pasta as directed (fresh pasta only takes about 4 minutes).

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it very quickly and tip it into the pan with the mushrooms; toss thoroughly to combine, then add the grated Parmesan and more black pepper if you like. 

Pile the pasta into a large warmed bowl, scatter parsley on the top and serve with extra Parmesan to go around.