This is literally pasta with mushrooms in a cream and vodka sauce, but I tell you something: it is delicious whatever its title. The woodiness of the porcini and chestnut mushrooms complements the distant sharpness of the vodka, whilst the peppercorns add a little extra kick to lift the dish into a celestial realm. 

In other words, it’s tasty and is set to impress! I served this with my cracked black pepper farfalle, but it would work equally well with linguine, spaghetti, or even pasta shells. 

ingredients (serves two)

  • 25g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 150g dried or fresh pasta 
  • 50g butter
  • 1 shallot
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced.
  • 75ml vodka
  • 100ml double cream 
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1tsp pink peppercorns
  • Shaved parmesan, a grating of fresh nutmeg and a drizzle of truffle oil to serve

method

  1. Place the porcini mushrooms into a bowl and pour boiled water over them so that they are covered. 
  2. Cook the pasta according to packet instruction. Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat and melt the butter with a drop of olive oil. Chop the shallot extremely finely and add to the butter along with the sliced chestnut mushrooms. Fry this for around 4 minutes, or until the chestnut mushrooms are cooked. Stir so that the shallots do not brown. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. 
  3. Add the vodka to the frying pan and once it begins to bubble, light with a long match. Ensure that you stand well back as this will flame. When the flames subside, add the cream and peppercorns and allow the sauce to bubble a little, but not boil. Add the porcini mushrooms and remove the pan from the heat. Add the egg yolk and mix in well. Return to the heat and allow the sauce to thicken for a minute or so. 
  4. Drain the pasta, add to the pan with the sauce coating the pasta well, and serve. This will need seasoning according to taste, but I find a little nutmeg, parmesan and truffle oil brings out the best in this dish. 

Tip: if you rehydrate the porcini in advance, you could add the water you used to the pan for boiling the pasta, I find this adds to the flavour. 

Drink recommendation: simple, a vodka martini.