Chanterelle Pasta Carbonara

Ever since returning from our vacation in the Dolomites, I’ve been hooked on Pasta Carbonara. It’s so easy to make, and it’s got a luxurious feel to it. We started our foray into this concept with Spinach Pasta Carbonara. A few days after our first attempt, we found a nice haul of Chanterelles on a hike, and from past recipes, we know that chanterelles go really well with pasta. So, we decided to give them the carbonara treatment!

Given the vibrant orange colour of our mushrooms, we thought that using squid ink spaghetti would provide nice visual contrast, so we used some that we brought home from our trip instead of making our own pasta…and it worked really well! If you’ve got a haul of chanterelles sitting around, we highly suggest giving this recipe a try.

*This website can’t be used to identify wild mushrooms or ingredients. Do your own independent research, and consume wild mushrooms or ingredients at your own risk.

*Little disclaimer…the eggs are cooked with residual heat, so they aren’t fully cooked through, which can increase the risk of foodborne illness. You’ll need to decide for yourself whether you are okay with that. But things like buying your eggs from a reputable source and washing the shells before cracking can minimize the risks.

Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Chanterelles
• Pancetta or Bacon
• Spaghetti. We used Squid Ink pasta we brought home from Venice.
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4-1 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese
• Black Pepper

Method:

• Fill a pasta pot with some water, add a little olive oil and salt, cover, and start to bring to a boil.
• Wash your chanterelles, and cut the bottoms of the stems off. Then, slice them into cross-sections.
• Heat a little olive oil in a large pan, and add your pancetta. Cook so that it renders and becomes crispy.
• As your pancetta starts to get crispy, add your mushrooms in, and sautee together.
• When your pasta is boiling, add your pasta and cook it until it’s al dente.
• Crack your eggs into one measuring cup. Beat them with black pepper.
• Grate your cheese into another measuring cup.
• When your pasta is cooked, and your mushrooms have cooked down, scoop a quarter cup or so of the pasta water into your mushroom/pancetta pan.
• Scoop your spaghetti into your mushroom/pancetta pan. Add a little more of your pasta water as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Use tongs to toss your pasta with your other ingredients, and turn the heat off.
• Combine your eggs and grated cheese, and whisk together. Then, pour into your pan.
• Toss all your ingredients together so your eggs and cheese coat your spaghetti and mushrooms. They will cook with the residual heat and turn into a creamy sauce.
• Plate, devour, and enjoy!