Magical Morels

Dried Morels

Some of my family thought of a clever gift for my birthday. I received some dried morels.  Morels are a prized, wild grown type of mushroom.  They are not farmed and someone has to go looking for them in the woods in the spring in North America which makes them a bit pricey but it doesn't take many to make an impact.  Their meaty texture and earthy, nutty flavor add depth to any dish they are used in.  As a bonus, they are highly nutritious, packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  I knew immediately I wanted to pair them with pasta.  This is a free form recipe you need to imagine for yourself.  I'm just listing what I used as a guideline.  Morels and pasta with olive oil and garlic make a fine meal in themselves.

Begin by rehydrating the morels.  Put them in a bowl and cover with very warm water (not boiling). Allow them to sit 20-30 minutes and drain.  Another quick rinse will insure all sand or particulate matter has been removed.  Place them on a clean kitchen cloth to drain while you prepare the other ingredients.

I chopped prosciutto, garlic and grated fresh parmesan. One of the home made condiments I keep in my refrigerator is gremolada (parsley, garlic and lemon zest) so I added that too.  I cooked my fresh pasta and reserved one cup of the cooking water.  I sautéd the prosciutto in olive oil, then the garlic of about 30 seconds.  Added the chopped morels and let them cook two minutes.  Then I added the fresh pasta to the pan tossing all the ingredients together.  Then I added half the cooking liquid and a generous amount of parmesan, tossing until creamy.  If you like add some cream at this point or more liquid if necessary.  Serve and garnish with gremolada or chopped basil.