Brown Butter Hen of the Woods Pappardelle

Wild mushroom pappardelle with brown butter, sage, pecorino, and a raw egg yolk. This is one of my favorite times of year and also one of my favorite wild mushrooms - Hen of the Woods, or Sheepshead, or Maitake, Grifola frondosa. They’re easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for. They resemble the fallen leaves of the oak tree in which they like to grow under. I was pleasantly surprised today to find two perfect hens a little earlier than I was expecting. This could be substituted for any of your favorite mushrooms, but I personally love how the meatiness of the Hen of the Woods stands up against the heft of the pappardelle.

Pappardelle

Ingredients

450 g 00 Flour

250 g eggs (beaten before mixing)

*Portioned for 5 - 6 people

Directions

Dump out the weighed flour onto a clean work surface.
Use your hand to form a well (like a volcano) in the center of the flour.
Carefully pour your eggs into the center and begin slowly mixing together with a fork. Gradually, carefully, work your way all around to incorporate the eggs with the flour, without breaking the outer wall.
After about 5 - 10 minutes it will start coming together into a shaggy mass. Begin using your hands to knead the dough together. Work diligently for another 5 minutes until it is no longer shaggy.
Use the edges of your hands, knuckles, to work the dough until it starts to form a smooth ball. Roll it, applying pressure, into the work surface. Fold it. Roll it again. After about ten minutes it should be a smooth, and ready to rest.
Cut the dough into two and wrap each in plastic wrap. Set into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
The following steps revolve around using a pasta attachment on a Kitchenaid - but you could also do this by hand with a rolling pin. Remove one of the dough balls, unwrap, and cut off a portion of the dough. Lightly flour and cover the rest back with plastic. Press gently and form a rectangle.
Pass the dough through the sheet pasta attachment at it’s widest setting. If it feels sticky, add a little more flour. Gradually tighten the settings of the pasta attachment, one click at a time, and pass the pasta sheet through until it is light and delicate. For pappardelle, I normally go to the 5th setting.
Allow the sheet of dough (sfoglia) to dry for 2-3 minutes and fold in half. With a knife, trim off irregular edges. Gently fold the dough into about 3 inch folds, over and over until you have a nice compact roll.
Using your knife, carefully begin cutting strips of the roll into about 3/4 - 1 inch (1.9 - 2.5 cm) pieces. I like my pappardelle nice and wide. With your fingers, unroll each strip and sprinkle with a light coating of semolina. You can make little nests with each batch that is finished. Repeat until all of your dough has transformed unto tagliatelle.
Cook right away or store in the fridge covered with a towel.

The Pasta

Ingredients

Wild mushrooms thinly sliced (.5 lb or 250 g)

Butter (1 stick or 120 g)

Garlic (3 cloves finely minced)

Pecorino romano

Black pepper

Sage

Egg

Pasta Water

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Bring a large skillet to medium heat.
Add the thinly sliced mushrooms to the pan and dry saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently and careful not to burn. This will remove some of the water weigh of the mushrooms before you add the fat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stir again.
Add in the butter and bring to a low simmer, continuing to stir.
Add the sage and garlic, continue to saute and stir for another ten minutes until the mushrooms are completely cooked through and tender.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta to your liking and be sure to reserve a little pasta water to lubricate the noodles if necessary.
Drain the pasta, and transfer the noodles directly into the pan with the mushrooms and browned butter. Toss well so all the noodles are completely covered in the sauce. Add pasta water (or any extra browned butter) as necessary if it feels too dry.
Plate each dish with the pappardelle and mushrooms. Create a small well in the middle of each plate for the egg yolk.
Very carefully, crack and egg and discard of the egg white. Gently place an egg yolk in the middle of each plate without breaking it.
Add a generous sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino to each plate, along with black pepper to taste.
Enjoy!