v:gourmet

The Tuscans like their funghi and, while traipsing around Chianti and the Crete Senese, we found variations of funghi-based dishes on every menu. Salsa al funghetto is a paté of cooked mushrooms that can be used in many formats. It can adorn a nice crostini as an appetizer, it can be added to soups and sauces, and it can be used in the traditional tacconi con salsa rossa al funghetto. Use any and all mushrooms (yes, even the Asian shitake and maitake) (yes, even the ones you found at the back of your fridge that are starting to dry up) and keep a jar or two of this in the fridge and/or freezer so you can pull it out at anytime and get transported to the boscos of Toscana where the best funghi grow.

2 tbsps olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

healthy bowl full of mushrooms, finely chopped

sea salt and pepper

Mince the mushrooms until they are very finely chopped or even until they are almost a paste-like consistency. Sauté the garlic over medium heat in olive oil until full of colour. Add mushrooms and cook slowly until they turn a very dark brown colour and they lose most of their liquid. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. If there is remaining liquid, remove the mixture with a slotted spoon and press out as much of the remaining liquid as possible. Store in the refrigerator or freeze for up to a month. Adapted from Pino Luongo’s A Tuscan in the Kitchen.