One of the “in fashion” ingredients (the past few years) are truffles. There are white and black truffles, foraged by truffle hunters who take along their trained dogs to sniffed out these culinary treasures, buried in the ground.

In cooking, truffles are shaved on dishes and if you go to a fancy restaurant, it is weighed then your server shaves as much as you like. What remains of the truffle is again weighed and the difference is charged to you!

I love truffles but they are pricey. Like mushrooms, they are a funghi and I came up with this dish when I had some leftover Duxelle for making Lamb Wellington. Duxelle is a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms and onions and it’s the layer between the beef and puff pastry in a Beef Wellington.

I had some leftovers and decided to toss it some butter egg noodles. I was hooked and the first thing I could think of calling it was poor man’s truffle.

Poor Man’s Truffle Pasta

(serves 4)

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup roughly chopped white onion

1 lb. of white or cremini mushrooms

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup hot pasta water

For the pasta

250gr. egg noodles (I used pappardelle)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup pasta water

1/2 – 3/4 cup grated Parm or Romano cheese

fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1. Into a food processor, add the mushrooms and onion and pulse until finely chopped. Place a large skillet on your stovetop and add the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the mushroom/onion mixture, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Stir occasionally  and cook for 6-7 minutes or until moisture has been cooked away.
3. Add the wine, continue to stir until moisture once again has cooked away. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, remove bay leaves and take off heat.
4. Add a large pot of water on your stovetop. Once boiling, add a good amount of salt and add your noodles. cooked for about 7 minutes.
5. Remove pasta with tongs or slotted spoon and drop into your skillet with the mushroom mixture. Turn heat to medium-low, toss pasta to mix with mushroom mix, add pasta water one ladle at a time, stirring in.
6. Add cheese in increments, tossing to blend. If pasta a little dry, add some pasta water (and 1/2 stick of butter or 1/4 cup heavy cream for a little decadence).
7. Divide and plate, top with grated cheese, fresh ground pepper and chives and serve.