My husband and I tried this pappardelle with duck dish at Lynora’s Osteria in downtown West Palm Beach recently. It is a thing of beauty…in your mouth. Divine, to say the least. The combination of the thick texture of pappardelle ribbons of pasta, tender duck breast slices, savory flavors of the varied mushrooms, and the truffle oil to lock all of the flavors into place. Oh the truffle oil! If it followed with no repercussions I would drink a vat of truffle oil if I could. Seriously. I’ve recreated this dish using what I know from my experience eating it at the restaurant and I would say it’s on point. I hope you enjoy this filling and intricately flavored pappardelle with duck, mushrooms, and truffle oil.
Pappardelle with Duck
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts
- 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 8 ounces uncooked pappardelle pasta or bucatini
- 3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 (4-ounce) packages exotic mushroom blend, sliced or coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon truffle oil
- Sage leaves (optional)
Prepare
- First, preheat oven to 400 F.
- Next, alt and pepper the duck breasts on each side, then sear them in a medium saute pan on medium-high heat for three minutes on each side.
- Then transfer duck breasts to a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
- Rinse porcini thoroughly. Combine porcini and 2/3 cup boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup soaking liquid. Chop porcini.
- Cook pasta with 1 tablespoon salt in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, mushroom blend, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in porcini, sherry, brandy, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute or until the liquid evaporates.
- Finely grate 1 ounce cheese; crumble remaining cheese. Reduce heat to medium. Stir pasta, 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid, 1/4 cup grated cheese, cream, chopped sage, and pepper into mushroom mixture; toss well to combine.
- Lastly, drizzle with truffle oil; toss. Place about 1 1/4 cups pasta mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon crumbled cheese. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.
