A refined and tasty dish, perfect for any occasion, celebrating the rich scents of the forest and Italian tradition with every bite, transforming an ordinary meal into an unforgettable gourmet experience.
Mafalde, ricce or reginette, whatever you like. We are talking about a long pasta format with curled edges that can better hold the sauces. They seem to appear on supermarket shelves only at Christmas time, but in most well-stocked supermarkets they can be found all year round. Originally from Campania, they changed their name when they were dedicated to Princess Mafalda of Savoy in 1902. In fact, the curled edges recalled the clothing of ladies and queens of the time.
In Oltrepò Pavese it is customary to eat them during Christmas Eve lunch, a lean day, accompanied by a mushroom sauce. This was a consolidated tradition in the past, but today it remains only exceptionally present, where grandparents have managed to hand down the custom. Mushrooms have always been part of the local heritage. There are many so-called mushroom farms in Oltrepò that offer products of the highest quality.
If once people went for mushrooms out of necessity, today they also go just for a walk and to be in the midst of nature in the Staffora Valley, for example. The Oltrepò is known to be a land of truffles, chestnuts and mushrooms, which is why they have become ingredients in many traditional dishes. First and foremost the porcini mushrooms, which lend themselves well to becoming ingredients for risottos, but also ovoli, chiodini, orecchiette and spugnole.
There are many festivals dedicated to them during the autumn period, such as the Truffle and Honey Fair in Casteggio, which also offers ample space for mushrooms, their recognition and the sale of products for use in typical local culinary preparations.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
- 360 gr of reginette
- 100 gr dried porcini mushrooms to rehydrate
- 1 clove of garlic
- A quarter of an onion
- Bay leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Concentrated sauce
- ½ glass of white wine
PROCEDURE
Soak the mushrooms in water for an hour. Remove from the water and strain the liquid that will be used to cook the sauce. Sauté onion, garlic, bay leaf and extra virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms cut into similar-sized pieces. After a few minutes, deglaze with white wine. Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the concentrated sauce and the liquid from rehydrating the mushrooms.
Cook for about 45 minutes. Boil salted water and cook the reginette. When ready and drained, add to the mushroom sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese to taste.
Wine pairing: Settenani Oltrepò Pavese Riesling IGT - Tenuta Fornace
