This one is the second of our three meals that we made from the Giant Puffball we found on a recent hike in upstate New York! This one, like our “Cheese Puffs,” features the pairing of mushrooms and cheese! But for this one, we opted to grate some cheddar and melt it into a roux for a gloriously creamy macaroni and cheese! We also used a ton of caramelized garlic to build some additional flavour complexity, which worked out really well! The last choice we had to make was which type of pasta to use…we went with rotini because it has more nooks and crannies to hold the cheese than other shapes (elbows, small shells, etc) do.
We served our macaroni and cheese with a side salad (with fresh tomatoes from our garden!).
*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.
Time: 35 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Giant Puffball Mushroom
- 12 oz Pasta. We used Rotini because it traps the cheese well.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Black Pepper
- Dried Parsley
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 1.5 Cups Milk
- 8 Oz Grated Cheddar
- Optional: Bacon
Method:
- Fill a large pot with some water, add a little olive oil and salt, and begin to bring it to a boil.
- Peel and dice your onion and garlic. If using bacon, cut it into slices as well.
- Melt your butter in a large pot (we used a Dutch Oven), and add your onion and garlic (and bacon if using). Let cook over low heat to begin to caramelize.
- Cut your puffball into slices, and remove the skins. Then, cut each slice into cubes.
- When your onions and garlic have turned opaque and started to brown a little, add your puffball cubes in with the onions and garlic. Sprinkle in some black pepper and parsley leaves, and stir while cooking.
- When your water comes to a boil, add your pasta, and cook until it’s soft.
- When your mushrooms have shrunken and started to brown, add your flower, and stir to combine.
- Pour your milk into the mushroom pot, and allow to thicken.
- As your milk thickens, grate your cheese. Then, add your cheese to the mushroom pot, and stir to combine.
- When your pasta is ready, drain the water, and add your pasta to the cheesy/mushroomy mixture. Stir to combine.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
