Pasta With Morels, Peas and Parmesan

By Mark Bittman

Pasta With Morels, Peas and Parmesan
Rikki Snyder for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(761)
Comments
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Morels are expensive, but a few go a long way and there is nothing quite like them for flavor and texture -- chewy, meaty and that aroma, earthy and exotic. Even at $30 a pound, $7 or $8 seems well worth the price.

Featured in: Morels and Peas Are Pasta’s Springtime Companions

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • ½cup fresh shelled peas
  • 4tablespoons butter
  • ¼pound morels, about 8 medium
  • 8ounces pasta
  • 1cup finely grated Parmesan
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

965 calories; 44 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 96 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 45 grams protein; 901 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring to a boil 2 pots of water, one small and one large, and salt both. Cook the peas for 1 minute in the small pot; drain and cool quickly by submerging in ice water.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a skillet. Cut the morels into 4 pieces each, the long way, and brown them lightly in the butter, seasoning them with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Cook the pasta until it is nearly done. Just before draining, toss the peas and remaining butter with the morels and turn the heat to medium. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the morels and peas, adding a little water if necessary to make the mixture saucy. Toss with the Parmesan and lots of black pepper and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
761 user ratings
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Comments

Becky

Enjoyed this in the winter with dried morels and frozen peas. Using the strained mushroom broth from reconstituting the morels instead of pasta water at the end was an added bonus. I threw the peas in with the pasta during the last minute of cooking.

KPY

I used full quantity of morels AND ALSO same amount of porcini (and a smashed garlic clove which I removed before serving). Also, heated mushroom-pea- butter mixture with a cup of mushroom stock then when partly reduced, added the pasta. A very quick, clean and balanced preparation.

Faded elegance

This is even better with addition of heavy cream to the morels in the sauté pan. Just cook down enough to coat a spoon.

chrstrr

I stumbled upon a 1/4 lb yellow morel in the woods of central PA this morning and used this recipe but subbed wild-ish foraged asparagus for the peas. It was delicious. I don’t find morels nearly as often or voluminously as other wild mushrooms. The morel was exquisite, such a treat! I had whole wheat penne on hand. Wish I’d cut the amount of pasta by half to focus on the morel.

Jonathon

Used dried morels. Added some of the rehydrating mushroom liquid when adding the pasta water, and a splash of heavy cream at the end, more finely grated parm reg, as well as a ton of freshly cracked black pepper. We loved it. A squeeze of lemon or sundried tomatoes could be considered but 5 stars.

Nancy b

This was delicious- I substituted manchego cheese for the Parmesan.

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