Stuffed Morels over Angel Hair Pasta + Cream & Peas

When I see morels making their first fall appearance at the grocery store, I get butterflies. Seriously! They're my favorite mushroom. Prized for their mild, earthy flavor and surprisingly meaty texture, morels also look ridiculously cool on the plate. Just a few of these stuffed mushrooms make a huge impact here -- this is a good thing since they tend to go for about $30 a pound -- and transform a regular old pasta dish into something pretty special. 

Stuffed Morels

1 egg + 1 yolk

1 clove garlic
2.5 ounces of goat cheese
zest from half a lemon
1/2 cup loosely packed parsley

1/8 - 1/4 cup bread crumbs

4 large morels (2-3 inches in length)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Maldon salt (to taste)

cracked black pepper (to taste)

For the stuffing, place the egg, yolk, cheese, zest, parsley, and 1/8 cup of the breadcrumbs into a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. If mixture looks too wet (it should resemble a dough), add a few more breadcrumbs. Set stuffing mixture aside.

Clean morels using the hand sprayer on your kitchen sink; the spray will dislodge any dirt stuck in the mushrooms' crevices. Dry morels using a clean kitchen towel. 

Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Stuff the morels using a pastry bag or by slicing them down one side with a paring knife and spooning filling into the cavity. Place stuffed morels in an oven-proof dish and drizzle each with a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Roast morels uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper and serve over Angel Hair Pasta + Cream & Peas.

Angel Hair Pasta + Cream & Peas

1/4 pound dry angel hair pasta

1/4 cup shallot (minced)
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cane sugar

1/4 teaspoon Maldon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cream

3/4 cup English peas

1/4 cup pasta water

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (to garnish)

1/8 cup chopped parsley (to garnish)

Place a large pot of salted water (as salty as the sea) on to boil. In a 12-inch pan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté shallots until they turn translucent and begin to brown. Add the wine, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan; reduce by half. Add the cream and turn off the heat. 

Place unrinsed, cooked pasta directly into the pan with the sauce and add the peas. Toss together to incorporate all the ingredients. Add a bit of pasta water to thin the sauce. Top with stuffed morels and garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.