Pasta with chanterelles: A quick seasonal delight for home cooking

I'm not striving for extravagance or experiments. When chanterelles appear in my kitchen, I quickly find a use for them, and the recipes I use are effortless and straightforward. The pasta with chanterelles that my mum used to make was the best, and today, I see no reason not to recreate these recipes.

Chanterelles, onion, garlic, greens, and cream are a combination that always works. In the dinner version, I enrich the pasta with chanterelles with a meat addition, usually chicken or turkey. I sometimes add 2-3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan to modernise the dish, though this ingredient is optional. However, don't forget about fresh herbs, which work great in the creamy chanterelle sauce.

The choice of pasta is very individual, as there are so many on the market that it's hard to choose the best one for this dish. I usually go for ricciarelle (wavy ribbons), tagliatelle or pappardelle, but farfalle (bow ties) or penne also work well.

Ingredients:                      

• 300 grams chanterelles,
• 600 grams chicken breast,
• 300 grams favourite pasta e.g. tagliatelle,
• 1 onion,
• 2 cloves garlic,
• 250 millilitres double cream (30%),
• 100 millilitres water or broth,
• Oil for frying,
• Salt, freshly ground pepper,
• Dried or fresh thyme,
• Lemon juice to taste,
• 100 grams grated Parmesan.

Preparation:            

1. Cut the chicken breast into cubes or small strips. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and thyme and set aside for a few hours in the refrigerator (to let the flavours meld and the meat marinate, though you can also prepare the dish right away).
2. Thoroughly clean the chanterelles and cut the larger pieces into smaller ones.
3. In a hot pan, sauté the chopped onion. When it becomes translucent, add the chopped garlic. After 2 minutes, add the meat. Fry for about 4-5 minutes, and then add the chanterelles.
4. Sauté everything for another 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Then, pour water or broth into the pan and add the cream and chopped parsley. Stir everything and cook on medium heat until the chicken is done.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
6. Finally, season the sauce with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add Parmesan and mix the pasta with the sauce.
7. Top everything with fresh parsley or fresh thyme and coarsely ground pepper.