In celebration of Tutore Cooking School’s recent opening in the Avondale neighborhood, we got a step-by-step lesson on a wild mushroom ragu dish.
Co-founder Chef Dean Zanella stopped by our Studio 41 kitchen to break it all down.
2755 W. Belmont Ave
(773) 942-6706
Mushroom Ragu
Ingredients:
● 2 cups cold water
● 2-3 ounces dried porcini mushrooms (depending on how strong of a broth you like)
● 1 pound fresh mixed mushrooms (wild are preferred but if not, cremini and other)
● 2T olive oil
● ¾ cup julienned shallots
● 1 garlic clove, minced
● ½ tsp fresh chopped thyme
● 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
● Fresh black pepper
● ½ cup dry white wine
● 3 tablespoons unsalted cultured butter, divided
● 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions:
1. Pour 2 cups cold water over dried porcini in a medium bowl; let soak 30 minutes.
2. Coarsely chop the mushrooms (if using wild clean with a damp towel to remove grit).
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil. Add shallots, garlic ½ the sea salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add thyme and cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add wine; cook, stirring often, until wine is reduced by more than half, about 4 minutes.
5. Strain the porcini soaking liquid into the mushrooms. Gently simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and liquid is mostly reduced, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the butter, remaining salt and a few grind of fresh black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley.
Ricotta Cavatelli
Ingredients:
● 242 G AP Flour
● 85 G Duram Flour (or 00 Pasta)
● ½ pound Ricotta Cheese (drained)
● 1tsp Salt
● 1 Egg
● ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Kneed with hands for a bit until dough is firm and smooth.
2. Cut off a piece of the dough and roll into a thin log. Run through a cavatelli machine.
3. Notes: The ricotta needs to be as dry as possible. A few days before making cavatelli, place your ricotta in a strainer, or cheese cloth, and suspend over a mixing bowl to dry out the ricotta.
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