Foraging has become increasingly popular in the Canadian wetlands and forests. When closely examined, there are edible delights growing everywhere. Spring is particularly fruitful, when the ground begins to thaw and dozens of varieties of wild mushrooms grow, and coniferous trees sprout new succulent tips that are tender and fragrant. This recipe is an ode to our majestic forests. Here, we toss long strands of fettuccini in an aromatic pesto made of spruce tips. The pasta is then topped with foraged mushrooms pan seared in butter, and for a little extra crunch, sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.
ingredients
Pesto
Pasta
directions
Combine all ingredients for the pesto in a food processor and pulse until a roughly chopped, about 4 pulses.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions to al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat a large pan to medium. Add in pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan often. Remove from pan.
Heat butter in pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms in batches to form a single layer. Sprinkle with salt. Cook without disturbing until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.
Stir in pesto in pan with mushrooms. Toss in fettuccini to coat with pesto. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.