Name: Farfalle with chestnut mushrooms and almonds
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 40 gm flaked almonds (1/3 cup); 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 thyme sprigs; 500 gm chestnut mushrooms, trimmed, stalks reserved; 100 gm shiitake mushrooms; 1 quantity basic pasta dough (see basic pasta recipe); 150 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 40 gm grated aged Pecorino Sardo (½ cup); 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

“Farfalle is my second-favourite dried pasta from childhood, and it’s even better fresh,” says Orr. “This dish is all about the natural umami in the mushrooms, with a dashi-style stock creating depth and length of flavour.”

Ingredients

40 gm flaked almonds (1/3 cup)

1 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 thyme sprigs

500 gm chestnut mushrooms, trimmed, stalks reserved

100 gm shiitake mushrooms

1 quantity basic pasta dough (see basic pasta recipe)

150 gm butter, coarsely chopped

40 gm grated aged Pecorino Sardo (½ cup)

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 180C. Scatter almonds evenly over an oven tray and toast until golden (7-8 minutes). Set aside.

2.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add garlic, thyme, chestnut mushroom stalks and shiitakes, and cook until golden (3-4 minutes). Add 700ml water, bring to the boil and cook until stock is reduced by half (30-35 minutes). Season to taste and strain into a large bowl (discard solids).

3.Prepare pasta according to basic pasta recipe, but roll to a thickness of 3mm. Cut 5cm squares from pasta sheets (see note) and pinch 2 sides of each square inwards to form a bow, squeezing gently to secure. Set aside on a lightly floured tray and repeat with remaining dough. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

4.Heat half the butter in a deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat and cook chestnut mushrooms until golden (3-4 minutes). Deglaze pan with reserved mushroom stock, add remaining butter and whisk to emulsify.

5.Cook farfalle in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (2-4 minutes). Drain, then add to mushroom sauce with pecorino and extra-virgin olive oil, and toss until the cheese is melted and sauce is shiny. Season to taste and serve hot scattered with toasted almonds.

Note For fancy edges, use a crinkle pasta cutter; run it through a pasta sheet lengthways, then cut widthways with a knife for straight edges.
Drink Suggestion: A full-bodied white wine with fresh almond and candied lemon characters and a little sea-salt nuance. A 2010 Barraco Grillo, from the west coast of Sicily, would be lovely. Drink suggestion by Giorgio de Maria
Notes

Mitchell Orr

Recipe / styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Lynsey Fryers-Hedrick

Ingredients

Method

Main

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