Campanelle a Funghi al Funghetto

Funghi al Funghetto is a great Italian recipe for mushroom lovers!
   
     Ligure, Italy is a great mushroom region.  The local recipes reflect upon that.  Campanelle pasta translates to "Bell Pasta".  Bell shapes with ruffled edges is the shape of campanelle.
     My first few years of euro apprenticeship was in high end regional Italian kitchens.  All French and Viennese cooking is descendant of the grand old years of Venetian cooking.  Italian haute cuisine is very strict and it is perfection oriented.  Many Italian regional recipes are simple, uncomplicated and delicious.  This funghi al funghetto recipe is demonstrative of how simplicity and just a few ingredients can make an outstanding tasting plate of food!
     Ligurian cooking is porcini rich.  My recipe blends porcini with cave button mushrooms.
  
     Campanelle a Funghi al Funghetto Recipe:
     Cook one portion of campanelle pasta in boiling water, till it becomes al dente.
     Note:  For the best results in Italian a la minute pasta cooking, the pasta should finish cooking at the same time that the sauce is finished.  Drain the water off of the pasta and add it directly to the sauce!  The sauce can be made in the same amount of time that it takes to cook the pasta.
     If you use dried porcini, soak the dried porcini in water overnight in a refrigerator!
     Coarsely chop 1/3 cup of porcini mushrooms.
     Thin slice 1/3 cup of regular cave mushrooms.
     Flute or decoratively carve one whole cave mushroom, so it can be used as a garnish.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
     Add 3 whole garlic cloves that are partially crushed.
     When the garlic turns a light brown color, remove the garlic cloves and discard them.
     Add the prepared porcini mushrooms, cave mushrooms and the fluted whole cave mushroom.
     Stir and saute the mushrooms, till they become brown on the edges.
     Add 1 cup of mushroom broth or chicken broth.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley.
     Add sea salt and pepper.
     Stir the sauce.
     Add 1 pinch of oregano.
     Simmer and reduce the sauce by half.
     Reduce the temperature to very low heat.
     By now, the campanelle pasta should be cooked al dente.  Drain the water off of the pasta
     Add the portion of al dente cooked campanelle pasta to the sauce.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of virgin olive oil.
     Saute and toss the pasta and mushrooms, till the pasta becomes coated with the thin mushroom olive oil sauce.  (The sauce should have a high amount of olive oil.  Only make enough of the sauce to coat the pasta with flavor!)
     Spoon the pasta and mushrooms onto a plate.
     Place the cooked fluted mushroom on top of the pasta as a garnish.
     Serve with finely grated parmigiana on the side.
  
     This Ligurian style pasta is delicious!  The porcini flavor is tremendously rich!  The campanelle catches the sauce nicely.
     I spent many mornings gathering wild mushrooms for cooking.  You have to know what you are doing when picking wild mushrooms.  Toxic mushrooms are deadly, so do not take chances.  Dried or fresh store bought mushrooms are just fine.  On the other hand, wild mushrooms that are edible, have some very nice flavors.  Edible boleti mushrooms, like porcini (Italian cepe) have some of the greatest mushroom flavors of all.  Ciao baby!  ...  Shawna