I’ve been thinking about how to truly appreciate the culinary potential of shaggy inkcap mushrooms, and what better way than by transforming them into a unique pasta? Their rich, black colour and earthy flavour are perfect for creating something special—possibly the first inkcap incorporated in the pasta dough you've ever seen!
The village was still asleep. I set out very early to find shaggy inkcap mushrooms to make a pasta recipe for Halloween.
Along the road, the biggest shaggy inkcap I have seen, standing tall and dripping black ink!
The cap is as big as my palm.
I stayed with this inkcap for a little while, admiring its beauty and marveling at its size!
The ink is dripping!
In the last couple of years, I made mushroom ink and scribbled with it, and I am excited to try something new.
One thing about ink caps is that they self-decompose; hence, when they are older, they drip the ink mixed with the water.
As I was about to cut it, it fell into bits. It was just on time, and I was pleased to have seen its beauty before that happened.
I picked the pieces and went home, looking forward to making the unique pasta recipe.
Here's how...
Homemade Black Pasta (Shaggy Inkcap Mushroom)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 large or 3 medium shaggy inkcap mushrooms (in the inky stage) - 4 tablespoons black ink
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
Prepare the Shaggy Inkcap Ink:
Gently clean the mushrooms, put them in a bowl or container, and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt on top. The salt will wilt the mushrooms quicker and extract the ink.
Collect the black liquid (ink). You should get about 3-4 tablespoons of ink. If you prefer a darker colour, use more mushrooms and reduce the water by heating it.
Make the Dough:
Mound the flour on a clean surface or in a large bowl and create a well in the center.
Crack the eggs into the well and add the olive oil, and the black ink with the salt from the shaggy inkcaps.
Slowly mix until a sticky dough forms.
Knead the Dough:
Once the mixture comes together, knead the dough with your hands for about 8-10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour. If it's too dry, add a few drops of water.
Cover it with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Once rested, divide the dough into manageable portions.
Roll out the dough using a pasta machine or rolling pin. Dust generously to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
I liked how the colour turned up; the more ink, the darker the colour will be.
Cut the pasta into your desired shape.
Peeling off very gently.
A beautiful shaggy inkcap pasta!
Toss in flour so they don't stick together.
Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water and a tablespoon of oil and boil for 5 minutes (fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried).
Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil so they don't stick together.
Serve with your favorite sauce— I topped it with bolognese sauce as "blood" and meatballs with olives for "eyeballs" and lots of grated parmesan cheese!
The shaggy inkcap mushroom brought a foraged touch and with Halloween approaching, it's the perfect time for an intriguing, visually striking dish.
Eyeballs were fried mince meat made into balls with spices and olives.
The black ink really does add a hauntingly beautiful touch, and pairing it with the "blood" bolognese and olive "eyeballs" is a brilliant way to celebrate the season.
And it is very delicious! with an earthy mushroomy taste.
It added an exciting, nature-inspired twist!
A lovely Fungi Friday to all!
Mariah 😊💗
The post is dedicated to @fungifriday by @ewkaw and to all fungi friends here. 💗