I love pasta. I’ve written about my love for pasta before but this beautiful, ribbony Pappardelle pasta deserves a post and song of it’s own and for me to write a freaking poem or something. I’ve cooked and tried probably every kind of pasta: spaghetti, angel hair, farfalle, orzo, linguine, orecchiette, fusilli, ravioli, lasagna, ziti, rigatoni, elbow macaroni, penne, rotini, manicotti, tortellini. . is there anything else?
Pappardelle.
Now, I have finally tried this lovely pasta and I LOVE it! It was harder for me to find this pasta. For me, it was not available at the grocery stores I normally frequent here in WA (QFC, Safeway or Whole Foods) and then one day- I saw it. At Trader Joe’s. The Egg Pappardelle Pasta to be exact.
This pasta is just so lovely and pretty. I love how broad, thick and long the noodles are and how they lay in your pasta dish like ribbons! So beautiful. I would have written a poem but I don’t want to embarrass myself. So, instead, here’s some key info about Pappardelle.
“Pappardelle pasta is an Italian flat pasta cut into a broad ribbon shape. In width, the pasta is between tagliatelle and lasagna. This pasta is traditionally served with very rich, heavy sauces, especially sauces which include game such as wild boar, and it is particularly popular in the winter, when it can make the basis of a hearty, warming meal. This pasta’s name comes from the Italian pappare, a verb which means “to gobble up.”
Some markets carry pappardelle pasta, as do restaurants which offer a range of Italian pastas on their menus. It is also possible to make this pasta at home, with the assistance of a pasta machine or by hand. Typically, pappardelle is made with an egg-based dough, making the pasta richer and fluffier, and the edges of the ribbons of pasta may be fluted or left straight, depending on the taste of the cook.”
My dear friend Jen recently gave me a pasta maker. . so guess what I’ll be making (or trying to attempt I should say)? This Pappardelle looks easy enough? HA! We’ll see . . I am definitely going to give this one a try. . and for now, I leave you with this delicious, simple, not too heavy and super flavorful recipe: Pappardelle with Mushrooms.
I hope you enjoy! Bon Appétit!!
- ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about ½ ounce)
- ⅔ cup boiling water
- 8 ounces uncooked pappardelle pasta
- 3¼ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + more at the end
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 (4-ounce) packages exotic mushroom blend, sliced or coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Fresh chives for garnish
- Rinse dried porcini thoroughly. Combine porcini and ⅔ cup boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, reserving ¼ cup soaking liquid. Chop the porcini.
- Cook pasta with 1 tablespoon salt in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, mushroom blend, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the porcini, dry sherry, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute or until the liquid evaporates.
- Finely grate 1 ounce cheese; crumble remaining cheese. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the pasta, the ¼ cup reserved cooking liquid, the ¼ cup reserved porcini soaking liquid, ¼ cup grated cheese, the heavy cream, and black pepper into mushroom mixture; toss well to combine. Drizzle with a dash of olive oil; toss well. Serve pasta, sprinkle more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and garnish with chives.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
Pappardelle is my favorite kind of pasta! And how did you know that I loved mushrooms?! This is definitely a must-try 🙂
Thank you, Chung-Ah! I’ve always seen recipes for pappardelle and have been meaning to try it for so long but seriously could not find it that easily! Anyway, now that I have tried it, I am in LOVE! I hope you do try this. . esp if you love mushrooms 🙂
Ooh, I love this ribbon pasta it makes the dish look so elegant! 🙂
Thank you, Kristi! And isn’t it just so pretty! 🙂
Delightful recipe and beautiful photos, as always.
Thank you, Richard! 🙂
I usually have a pasta party every few months and we all get in the kitchen and get full of flour. One of the dishes always requested is one similar to this. Someone brings mushrooms of all sorts and the dish magically appears. Love the photos. 🙂
Maureen, a pasta party sounds GREAT. I love that idea and think that I will have to host one myself! 🙂 for me, anything with pasta and mushrooms gets me excited! and the tummy full! Thank you for the comment!!
Pappardelle and mushroom are my two favorites. I can’t wait to hear your stories about making pasta, been dying to do that (and ravioli). Yum yum! I can’t wait to try this out.
I hope you do, Linda! It’s seriously delicious!!
This has my name written all over it. (only if I was allowing myself to eat carbs) it’s not fair. I want pasta so badly. Especially this one because I love parpadelle too.
The dress, the dress, the dress. . hang in there sister. I feel you. I love pasta too so I know how hard this is. . hang in there friend. Tofu and veggies can be just as tasty?!
Pasta is pretty much the best thing ever – gorgeous dish!
Thank you, Ashley!! 🙂
That’s a glorious dish of pasta there, Alice! I love everything in this – pappardelle (which I never cook with – why the heck not, I now ask myself), mushrooms and a cream sauce…drool… Like, I’m literally drooling over here! I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from eating several bowls of this.
Nancy, Thank you!! You’ve got to try pappardelle. . it’s so lovely and delicious! And b/c the noodles are slightly thicker and long, I ate a little less. . so it all evens out right? 😛
that looks like heaven on a plate! i love pappardelle too… sometimes i make it from scratch! it’s not hard but it is time consuming. my kids love to turn the crank on the machine and we make a whole project out of it… it’s so unbelievably yummy and that sauce looks perfect!
Thank you, Allie!! My friend just recently gave me a pasta maker that she never uses so I am going to try to make this from scratch so we’ll see how it turns out. i’m so excited! 🙂
I’ve never had that kind of pasta before, but you’re right, it’s beautiful and looks so delicious!! Looks like a fine dining worthy dish Alice!!
Mmmmmm….this looks fantastic! A double dose of mushrooms with cream? I’ll take two helpings!
Alice, beautiful plating and presentation. You are fortunate that this plate of pasta is not in front of me, otherwise you will only see an empty plate.
Haha, thank you Quay! 🙂
I found my colleague Lor has commented as well.
If she gave you five forks then I realize you’ll find it excellent.
Absolutely cherished this
Freeform and flowing Rounded forms and edges loosen up the soul.
Y el pensamiento positivo creativo es el ms significativo y principal atributo que poseemos.
Hello! This looks perfectly delicious! My friend gave me some of this Pappardelle pasta as a gift. I am excited to prepare this dish! Thank you! I am interested to know where you found the beautiful bowl you used for this photo. And, do you take the pictures as well?
Thank you,
Kelly H.
Hi Kelly, yes, I take all of my photos. . this post is an old one. . back from November 2012. . I think my photos have improved! 🙂 anyway, thank you and yes, I hope you try this! Pappardelle is one of my faves. . I can’t remember where I got the bowl from. . I’ve had it for a few years now. Maybe Z Gallerie?