Recipes
Morel and Asparagus Spaghetti
A lemony parmesan cream sauce lets these two superb spring ingredients shine.
- Serves
6
- Time
20 minutes, plus soaking
In this bright spring pasta dish of morels and asparagus, dried morels are rehydrated in boiling water, then the water is used to cook the spaghetti—infusing it with an earthy, mushroomy flavor. If you can get your hands on fresh morels (we sourced ours from Baldor), this recipe is just as delectable made with the fleeting fungi—just skip straight to boiling the pasta in step 2. Either way, a simple sauce of cream, parmesan, and lemon allows the main ingredients to shine through.
Featured in “One Ingredient, Many Ways: Mushrooms.”
Ingredients
- 5 dried morel mushrooms (about ½ oz.); or substitute 5 fresh morels, halved lengthwise
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. spaghetti
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 1 lb. asparagus (about 1 bunch), ends trimmed, cut into 1-in. pieces
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
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Instructions
Step 1
If using dried morels, to a large heatproof bowl, add the morels and 8 cups of boiling water. Set aside until rehydrated and tender, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the morels to a cutting board and halve lengthwise. Set aside.
Step 2
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large pot and pour through most of the soaking liquid, discarding any dirt or sediment at the bottom of the bowl. Add additional water to the pot if needed for cooking pasta, then bring to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Step 3
Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus, stock, and reserved morels and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover, add the cream, and continue cooking until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes more.
Step 4
Remove from the heat and toss in the parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and reserved pasta until evenly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with more oil, sprinkle with more parmesan, and serve immediately.
- If using dried morels, to a large heatproof bowl, add the morels and 8 cups of boiling water. Set aside until rehydrated and tender, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the morels to a cutting board and halve lengthwise. Set aside.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large pot and pour through most of the soaking liquid, discarding any dirt or sediment at the bottom of the bowl. Add additional water to the pot if needed for cooking pasta, then bring to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus, stock, and reserved morels and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover, add the cream, and continue cooking until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes more.
- Remove from the heat and toss in the parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and reserved pasta until evenly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with more oil, sprinkle with more parmesan, and serve immediately.
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