Equipment
Ingredients
Protein and Pasta
- 600 g boneless skinless pheasant breast, cut into bite-sized strips
- 400 g dried fettuccine pasta
Mushrooms and Aromatics
- 30 g dried morel mushrooms
- 300 ml boiling water
- 50 g shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems
Cream Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 250 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 50 g parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the dried morel mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let soak for 30 minutes until fully softened. Remove the mushrooms, squeezing gently, and slice them in half. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove any grit, reserving the liquid.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 100ml of the pasta cooking water before draining.
While the pasta water heats, season the pheasant strips generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pheasant and sear until lightly browned on the outside but slightly undercooked in the center. Remove the pheasant from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the unsalted butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the diced shallot, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and the rehydrated morel mushrooms. Sauté until the shallots are translucent and aromatic.
Pour the dry white wine into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half.
Pour in 150ml of the reserved, strained morel soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce slightly. Stir in the heavy cream and continue to simmer gently until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Return the seared pheasant and any resting juices to the skillet to finish cooking through to a safe internal temperature of 74C or 165F. Add the cooked fettuccine and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toss vigorously using tongs until the sauce becomes glossy and evenly coats the noodles. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a splash at a time.
Divide the pasta among shallow bowls, ensuring an even distribution of pheasant and morel mushrooms. Garnish with an extra crack of black pepper and a light dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pheasant is a notoriously lean game bird that lacks the forgiving intramuscular fat of chicken thighs or beef. Proceed with caution during the initial sear to prevent it from turning chalky.
- The dark, potent soaking liquid yielded from dried morels is culinary gold. It provides a massive umami baseline that fresh mushrooms alone cannot replicate. Never discard it.
- Vigorously tossing the pasta in the sauce is not just for distribution. The mechanical action releases starches into the fat of the cream and butter, creating a stable, luscious emulsion.
- If raw pheasant is unavailable or intimidating to source, high-quality, air-chilled chicken breast serves as a seamless substitute without altering the rustic profile of the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store pasta and sauce separately if possible. The cream sauce will thicken significantly when cold.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water or cream to revive the sauce's emulsion.
