Pappardelle with Porcini and Radicchio

A perfect complement to our 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

The 40th anniversary of Spottswoode’s Estate Cabernet is an auspicious occasion and inspires an equally special meal. Egg yolk-rich buckwheat pappardelle pasta with a ragout of wild mushrooms and roasted radicchio is a magnificent pairing for this graceful wine. Boletus edulis mushrooms, better known as porcini or “little pigs,” are a seasonal delicacy and a prized ingredient. They’re foraged in the spring and fall, popping up in coniferous forests across the northern hemisphere. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh ones, this pasta will be a beautiful complement to their deep, savory flavor. If fresh mushrooms are out of reach, porcini are one of the few culinary mushrooms that take well to being dried and are easily accessible online or in your local gourmet market.

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Serves 4

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed for one minute. 
2. Whisk together the egg yolks and olive oil. On low speed, slowly drizzle in the egg yolk mixture. The flour mixture will first resemble sand and then eventually little pebbles as the dough begins to form. This should take about three minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scrape any remaining egg mixture into the mixer bowl and mix on medium-low for one minute. 
3. Stop the mixer and feel the dough. It should feel a little tacky but not wet. Squeeze some together in your hand. It should want to adhere to itself and form a nice clump. If the dough is dry, hydrate it a little using a spray bottle of clean water and mix until the dough comes together. 
4. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into two even balls. Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and leave them to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. 
5. While the dough is resting, set up your pasta machine or your stand mixer’s pasta sheeter attachment. 
6. Unwrap a ball of dough and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a ½-inch thick rectangle as wide as will fit through your pasta rollers. Run the dough once through the widest setting. Fold the dough in half with the short end of the dough meeting the other end forming a “book.” Run this through the rollers again starting with the book’s “spine” first. Repeat this process six or seven times until you have a smooth sheet of dough. 
7. Lay the dough sheet on plastic wrap and sprinkle it with a generous dusting of rice flour. Roll the dough into the plastic wrap so a layer of plastic wrap is between the layers of dough (like a jelly roll) and rest it for another 10 minutes. (At this stage, the dough can rest overnight in the refrigerator if you like; just remember to let it come to room temperature before you roll it out to its final shape.)  
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the other dough ball.  
9. Unroll your pasta roll and feed it through the machine’s widest setting again. Reduce the thickness by one step and run it through again. Continue stepping down until your dough is slightly thicker than ¹⁄₁₆-inch. Cut the dough sheet into roughly 10-inch lengths and form stacks of three sheets each, with a generous dusting of rice flour between the layers. Roll each stack over on itself three times. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut your pappardelle into about 1-inch-wide noodles. Shake off the excess rice flour and arrange the pasta on a tray covered with a kitchen towel until you’re ready to cook it.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and set a large pot of well-seasoned water over medium heat for cooking the pasta.
2. Cut the radicchio in half through the root end but do not remove the root end. Cut each half into six wedges. Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined sheet tray and drizzle with the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cores are tender and the leaves are wilted and have charred nicely but are not burned. Let this cool to room temperature, slice each wedge crosswise into ½-inch pieces, and reserve on a separate plate.  
3. While the radicchio roasts, heat a 12-inch saute pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the sliced porcini mushrooms in small batches over high heat with three tablespoons of olive oil, trying to get them caramelized and tender. Each batch should take about 5 to 6 minutes. Season each batch with salt and pepper. Reserve the mushrooms on a warm plate alongside the radicchio. 
4. Melt the butter in the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt, stirring regularly until the vegetables are lightly caramelized and tender. Stir in the tomato paste and mix well, letting it sizzle in the butter for two minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and let it reduce over medium-high heat until almost dry. Then add the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and reduce by half. 
5. Add the reserved mushrooms and stir in the thyme and the creme fraiche. Remove the bay leaf. This can now sit for a few minutes until the pasta is done cooking.

To finish and serve:

1. Bring the pot of seasoned water to a boil. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until it’s 80 percent cooked through, one to two minutes depending on how dry the pasta is.
2. Transfer the cooked pasta and ¼ cup of pasta water to the pan with the mushroom ragout and continue cooking and stirring until the ragout achieves a sauce-like consistency and coats the noodles evenly. Fold in the roasted radicchio and parsley. Bring the pasta back to a simmer, adding a splash of pasta water if it becomes dry. 
3. To serve, divide the pasta among four plates. Finish with freshly grated parmesan. 

Gary Podesto is a cook at Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California and is the Chief Culinary Collaborator for the Climate Farm School. His work aims to revitalize the ritual of gathering around the hearth and table while promoting the values of edible education and regenerative agriculture. Learn more at garypodesto.net.