Morel Cassarole

Recipe for 4-6 people.

20 grams dried morels
1/8 liter water

250 grams small fresh mushrooms (or canned)
250 g small oyster mushrooms
salt and 1/2 lemon

1 leek
1 T butter
salt and pepper
1 tsp majoram or thyme

300-400 grams extra wide bandnoodles (Papardelli)

3 eggs
250 grams creme fraiche
100 ml milk
cayenne pepper
50 g fresh-grated parmesan cheese

butter for pan

extra parmesan cheese and butter to sprinkle on top

1. Soak the morels in water for at least 2 hours. Drain and dry. Save soaking water for later.

2. Wash and quarter the rest of the mushrooms (normal and oyster). Mix with lemon juice.

3. Clean and wash the leek. Cut up into very thin slices. Heat the butter in a pan. Lightly braise the leeks in the heated butter. Add the morels and other mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and majoram or thyme. Cook for about 15 or until all the liquid has evaporated.

4. In the meantime, boil the noodles in salt water (al dente). They should still be pretty chewy because they'll continue cooking in the oven. Drain well.

5. In a bowl beat the eggs a bit. Add creme fraiche, milk, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cheese. Mix well.

6. Butter a mid-sized cassarole dish and preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.

7. In a big bowl mix the mushrooms and morels, noodles and egg/creme mixture together. Dump into cassarole dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bits of butter. Bake for about 20 minutes on the lowest oven rack, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.

Serve this cassarole with a mixed salad and a white wine. Enjoy!

-Debbie