Only a small part of Italy is known for its cider, but nonetheless there are plenty of ways to enjoy il sidro alongside Italian dishes. Blended from Northwest-grown apples and Chicago-area crabapples, Old Hat is the flagship cider of Broken Nose Cider. Its dry, pleasantly yeasty complexity is just right when paired with the mildest form of Gorgonzola and fall’s most interesting wild mushrooms in this simple and warming recipe.
Herbed Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms and Gorgonzola Dolce
Recipe courtesy of Trattoria No. 10 | Chicago
Serves 4
3 tablespoons cultured, salted butter, divided
1 small leek, trimmed, cleaned and julienned
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ounces (about ¾ cup) wild mushrooms, trimmed and cleaned
¾ cup dry cider
¾ cup mushroom or vegetable broth
12 ounces dried pappardelle pasta
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 ounces grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 ounces Gorgonzola dolce
Set a large pot of heavily salted water on the stove over high heat.
While the water comes to a boil, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until they soften, about 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cider, then reduce until the mushrooms are almost dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom broth and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
Drop the pappardelle in the boiling water and cook to al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the water.
Add the remaining butter, thyme and grated Parmesan to the mushrooms and gently stir until mixture is creamy. If it looks too dry, add a little pasta water to thin it out. Stir in cooked pasta and cook for about 30 seconds. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve family-style in a large shallow bowl, garnished with small chunks of Gorgonzola dolce.
