7. Cotolette di Funghi Porcini – Nonna Maria's Cucina Alpina

Nonna Maria and most of Alberto’s immediate family reside in Sondrio, the provincial capital of 22,000 inhabitants. Located in the valley of the Adda River, the city gets very hot and muggy in summer. During the warmer months, therefore, the family decamps to their holiday home in the mountains, just a short drive away.

 I have only visited in the summer, when wild blueberries, raspberries and redcurrants dot the hills. In the autumn, you can forage for Porcini and Chanterelle mushrooms. The house even has a dedicated room for drying them! In this age of supermarkets, we tend to forget that jam, pickles, and sauces developed as methods to preserve surplus produce across the seasons. Faced with the enviable problem of having an abundance of porcini, and tired of grilling or cooking them in risotto, the family batters and fry them. 

Porcini is found from late summer to early autumn in Italy, from north to south, wherever there are mountains, with differences depending on the region and altitude. Whilst fresh porcini has the best texture, the aroma is concentrated in dried porcini. When using dried porcini for pasta or risotto, soak the large pieces in cold water, and use the water as well for flavour. Any broken pieces can be crushed into a powder and sprinkled onto warm dishes, like adding truffles. Now, these fritters cannot be recreated by jarred or dried porcini, so I have substituted portobello mushrooms. The flat and wide Maitake would also be suitable.

I will soon be sharing a risotto recipe to which porcini can be added instead of saffron, but nettle is also nutritious. When pIcking the young shoots and tender tops, wear thick rubber gloves to prevent stinging (the itch can last for days). Cooking removes the stinging element. Leafy greens such as spinach and baby kale are alternatives. 

Mushrooms and foraged greens play an important role in Japanese cuisine, from the pricey matsutake to the shiitake commonly used in broths, and everything in between– from enoki to shimeji, cooked into rice biryani-style, or in an assortment adorning miso soup and hot pots. In fact, this instalment could easily have a parallel Japanese menu of mushroom tempura served with pesteda salt and rice porridge with wild herbs.  

Cotolette di Funghi recipe

Serves 4 

• 4 large mushrooms, sliced 

• 1 egg 

• 200 g fine breadcrumbs 

• 150 g lard, ghee (clarified butter) or your choice of frying oil 

• Fine sea salt or flakes

1. Beat the egg with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish. 

2. Spread out the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. 

3. Dip each mushroom slice in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. 

4. Heat the frying oil in a saucepan to 110 degrees celsius. 

5. Fry the mushroom slices for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. 

6. Remove from the oil and drain. 

7. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Risotto ai Ortiche Recipe

Serves 4

• 250 g spinach or baby kale 

• 500 ml beef stock  

• 100 g unsalted butter

• 1 medium white onion, chopped finely 

• 250 g risotto rice

• 150 ml dry white wine 

• 100 g grated Grana Padano (or Parmigiano) cheese

• Fine sea salt

1. Blanch and finely chop the greens. 

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to keep the stock at a gentle, steady simmer. 

3. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat half of the butter over medium heat. Sautée the onion until translucent. 

4. Add the raw, unwashed rice and a pinch of salt and stir until the grains are well coated. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the rice starts to smell toasty.

5. Add the wine and cook until it has evaporated. 

6. Add enough simmering stock to just cover the rice.

7. Gradually begin adding the hot stock by the ladeleful, as the rice absorbs the liquid. Shake the pan but do not stir.

8. After 10 minutes, start stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pot clean so that the rice does not stick. Stir constantly, adding more stock to keep the rice covered at all times. Repeat the process for another 20 minutes until the rice is creamy but still firm (al dente, as opposed to chalky in the centre). There may be stock left; add water if not enough. 

9. Remove the risotto from the heat. Add the remaining butter and the cheese, stirring vigorously to make the risotto creamier. 

10. Taste and correct for salt, stirring after adding any. 

11. Transfer to a platter and serve promptly. 

#porcini #valtellina