While this morel mushroom sauce would be lovely on pretty much any pasta, there is something rather evocative and playful about the effort involved in twirling long threads of angel hair pasta through a luxurious sauce of morel mushrooms and shallots in a wine and tarragon infused cream sauce and topped with fresh spring chives.
This is a plate that should be lingered over -- savoring every last bit. You will want bread to soak up any remaining sauce. (But if not, the tip of your pinky should do just fine.)
I believe the first time I indulged in morels was at one of Orlando's finer dining restaurants, Christinis, while on a long-ago business trip with my boss Linda. Our oh-so handsome server recommended the appetizer of angel hair pasta in a morel cream sauce. Well of course we both jumped at the suggestion and indulged with utter amazement. And then learned with moderate mortification when the check arrived that we were going to have some serious explaining to do on our expense reports!
Years later and closer to home, foraging for morel mushrooms is popular in local wooded areas and along riverbanks, with locals guarding their “honeypots” as tightly as Fort Knox. With easy access to morel mushrooms, this is an annual springtime ritual that I partake in. And while a morel cream sauce might be somewhat expected, this execution with tarragon and fresh chives from my garden just might be every bit as perfect as that never-to-be-forgotten business trip appetizer.
Ingredients
- angel hair pasta
- pasta cooking water.
- olive oil
- fresh morel mushrooms
- unsalted butter
- large shallot
- dry white wine
- heavy whipping cream
- Grana Padano cheese
- fresh tarragon
- Kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- fresh chives
- fresh truffles (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms start to release moisture and soften, about 4 minutes.
Add butter and shallot. Cook, until shallot softens and moisture has nearly reduced about 6 minutes.
Add wine and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream and a ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water.
Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional pasta cooking water if sauce becomes too thick.
Toss pasta together with morel mushroom and cream sauce and garnish with fresh chives. (And a few grates of fresh truffle if desired.)
Hint: If you want to plate this dish, simply grab a serving fork, scoop up a fork full of pasta and twirl the pasta directly in the skillet with the morel mushroom cream sauce, coating the pasta evenly. Divide among bowls. Top with fresh chives.
And yes -- if you have a fresh truffle on hand, this would be the place to use it.
Substitutions
- Angel Hair Pasta - known as "capelli d'angelo" in Italian -- can be substituted with slightly thicker capellini or spaghetti
- Morel Mushrooms - there is no substitution for mushrooms, but this recipe stands well on its own on a simply cream sauce using cremini or shiitake or any number of mushrooms
- Vegetarian -- great news is that is a perfect entree as a vegetarian option
- Dry White Wine -- substitute with a fortified wine like Marsala, Madeira or sherry which will impart a sweetness to the finished sauce
- Tarragon -- not everyone is wild about tarragon with its anise undertones. Simple substitute a tablespoon of minced fresh thyme.
- Shallots -- instead of shallots, consider using a thinly sliced medium leek
Equipment
- large saute´ pan or skillet
- stock pot or Dutch oven (for pasta)
Storage
Morel cream sauce is best consumed immediately, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat so that the sauce doesn't break apart.
I have frozen this sauce and it has a tendency to break apart. Again, reheat over low heat. Whisk in additional cream to re-emulsify it. (If that doesn't work, it is incredibly good as a sauce on a white pizza.)
🍽️ Recipe
Pasta with Morel Mushroom and Tarragon Cream Sauce
Equipment
- saute pan or large skillet
- stock pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 12 ounces angel hair pasta prepared according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 ounces fresh morel mushrooms cleaned and halved lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms start to release moisture and soften, about 4 minutes.
- Add butter and shallot. Cook, until shallot softens and moisture has nearly reduced about 6 minutes.
- Add wine and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and a ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional pasta cooking water if sauce becomes too thick.
- Toss pasta together with morel mushroom and cream sauce and garnish with fresh chives. (And a few grates of fresh truffle if desired.)
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