Pasta Con I Funghi Selvatici Di San Giovanni Da Fiore Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in very hot water until soft, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. When they are tender, remove the dried mushrooms from the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid; slice or chop if the pieces are large.
• Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta and salt it. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When it is hot, add the garlic and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms when they're ready, and cook until they give up their liquid and start to brown, at least 15 minutes. Add the white wine or mushroom-soaking liquid to the pot and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom as the liquid starts to bubble.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender.
• Reduce skillet heat to low. Add remaining butter and the parsley, and stir to combine; sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the pasta is done, drain it. Add the pasta to the mushroom mixture, and toss until well combined. If the mixture is dry, add a little pasta water or mushroom-soaking liquid. If you like, garnish with Parmesan and more parsley.

Steps:

• Rinse the quail in cool water and dry them, inside and out, with absorbent paper towels.
• In a mortar with a pestle, grind to a paste the reserved livers, the juniper berries, the peppercorns, the cloves, the garlic, and 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt. Spoon a bit of the aromatic paste into the cavity of each quail. Wrap each quail in a slice of pancetta, securing it with a toothpick and slipping two leaves of sage between its breast and the pancetta.
• In a large terra-cotta or enameled cast-iron casserole over a lively flame, heat the olive oil and sauté the salt pork. Place the quail in the casserole and brown them on all sides. Lower the flame, sprinkle on the fine sea salt, add the wine and the vinegar, bringing the quail and its liquids to a gentle simmer. Cover the casserole tightly and braise the quail for 12 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• Cook the pasta in abundant boiling, sea-salted water for 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
• After the quail have cooked for 12 minutes, add the pasta to the casserole, stirring it about in the braising juices and repositioning the quail so that they nestle in the pasta. The pasta and the braising liquors will protect the scant flesh of the frail little birds while the casserole roasts, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes. This will permit the pasta to finish cooking and to absorb the braising juices, for the quail to char and crisp prettily while they complete their roasting.
• Carry the casserole to table, serving the pasta and a quail to each one.