Recipe: Stracci Pasta with B.C. Morel Mushrooms

Stracci with B.C. Morel Mushrooms, Garlic, Parsley, Thyme, Lemon and Grana Padano

After honing his skills in some of Vancouver’s award-winning restaurants (most recently Cibo Trattoria), Chef Faizal Kassam’s latest venture, Terroir Kitchen brings together Southern European tapas-style plates of French, Spanish, Italian and North African origin with locally sourced ingredients. Recreate his dining experience in your kitchen with this delicious summer-inspired recipe.

Pasta ingredients

• 325 ml egg yolks
• 500 g “00” flour
• Splash olive oil

Instructions

1. Using a Kitchen Aid mixer, add all the ingredients and mix on low until a “dough ball” is formed. If needed, add an extra egg yolk to bind further.
2. Mix for 30 minutes.
3. Wrap the dough in cling wrap. Reserve.

Sauce ingredients

• 1 lb B.C morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, picked and chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, picked, washed and chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
2. Using a rolling pin (or better yet, pasta roller), roll out the dough to the stage where you can achieve maximum thinness without breakage. (If using a pasta machine, setting “1” is preferred.)
3. Cut the sheet into roughly cut squares.
4. Using a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat, add butter and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic starts to brown on the edges.
5. Add thyme and cook in the butter, add morels and season with salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms.
6. Add 2 oz of salted water (from the pasta pot) to emulsify the butter sauce.
7. Cook fresh pasta for 1 to 2 minutes, strain and add to mushroom sauce. Add parsley and lemon juice. Check for seasoning.
8. Plate the pasta and garnish with Grana Padano shavings.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings