🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🍄 Tacconi con Funghi Porcini
Tacconi con Funghi Porcini
Rustic diamond-shaped pasta from the Marche and Lazio countryside, tossed with a woodsy sauté of porcini mushrooms, garlic, and parsley for an earthy autumn dish.
Tacconi are a humble, historic pasta shape cut into rough diamonds or squares, once made from chestnut flour in leaner times, and today most often paired with the porcini mushrooms that flourish in the region's forests each autumn.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Knife or pasta cutter, Large pot, Sauté pan
- 350 g (2⅔ cups) 00 flour
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) water
- Pinch of salt
- 500 g (1.1 lb) fresh porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (or 60g/2oz dried, rehydrated)
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) dry white wine
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g (¼ cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine the flour, water, and salt into a firm dough, kneading for 10 minutes. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to about 2mm thickness and cut into rough 3cm diamonds or squares.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and sauté the garlic and thyme until fragrant.
- Add the porcini and cook over medium-high heat until golden and any released liquid has evaporated, about 8–10 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and let it reduce by half, then season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tacconi for 3–4 minutes until they float and are tender.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water, and toss into the mushroom pan with the Parmigiano and a splash of pasta water.
- Finish with parsley and extra Parmigiano at the table.
Chef Tips
- Don't overcrowd the mushrooms in the pan — cook in batches if needed so they brown rather than steam.
- A splash of the porcini soaking liquid, if using dried mushrooms, adds extra depth to the sauce.
- The rustic, irregular shape of hand-cut tacconi is traditional and part of the dish's charm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Crowding the mushrooms in the pan, causing them to steam and turn rubbery instead of browning.
- Using low-quality dried porcini or skipping the soaking liquid, both of which lose much of the dish's signature earthiness.
- Overworking the dough, which can make the tacconi tough rather than tender.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Porcini mushrooms provide fiber, potassium, and B vitamins.
- A vegetarian dish naturally rich in umami flavor from the mushrooms.
Cultural Note
Tacconi has deep roots as a cucina povera dish across central Italy, historically made with chestnut flour in mountain villages before wheat flour became widely affordable.
Storage & Serving
Storage: The mushroom sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock.
Serve with: A medium-bodied red or white wine from central Italy