Beyond the Button

He recalls following his father on mushroom hunts when he was a child. And this passion has led Pancotti to host an entire festival devoted to the fungus at JW Marriott Hotel’s Italian restaurant, Mezzo Mezzo, in Juhu, Mumbai.

‘‘I loved the idea of promoting mushrooms in India, where a big percentage of people are vegetarians who will love these exotic picks. Moreover, mushrooms are healthy as they are absolutely fat free and rich in vitamins and minerals,’’ Pancotti says excitedly.

He’s got trays full of porcini, gallinacci and other varieties of Italian mushrooms packed between layers of newspapers. ‘‘This is the best way to store mushrooms,’’ he advises.

Pancotti supplemented the knowledge of mushrooms gained from his father by talking to forest guards and reading extensively. ‘‘But no one should act like a know-it-all,’’ he warns, ‘‘as some mushrooms can be poisonous, too.’’

So Pancotti plays it extra safe. ‘‘About 60 per cent of all mushrooms are edible, but I’m really comfortable using eight to 10 varieties,’’ he says.

Pancotti brought five varieties for the festival.
• Porcini —large and chunky. ‘‘The King of Mushrooms’’, as Pancotti refers to them, are “often used as an alternative to meat. They are also very versatile and can be used raw in salads, as a sauce for a pasta, grilled or sautéed with meat, and to coat breads with—just about anything.’’

• Gallinacci—golden-hued and flower-shaped. ‘‘These are not among the tastiest mushrooms, but are great in salads when complemented with a flavourful herb like celery or even grated Parmesan.’’

• Pioppini—long-stemmed, with dark stumpy caps. ‘‘There are many kinds of pioppini. But most of them are never eaten raw. They are great in sauces for pasta, risotto or stews.’’

• Mazze di tambura—big and chewy. ‘‘Most chefs use these mushrooms to add volume to a dish,’’ Pancotti says, laughing as he reveals the variety’s nickname—‘elephant ears’. They are ‘‘too chewy for salads, (but) these can be a good appetiser when sautéed with spices’’.

• Ovuli—Crunchy mushrooms. Pancotti reserves these for salads. ‘‘These are best eaten fresh within 24 hours.’’

He advocates using a mixture of mushrooms—both gourmet and mundane. ‘‘If we use only rich, tasty and expensive ingredients, cooking would be too easy,’’ he says.

He has more advice: ‘‘Don’t wash mushrooms before storing as they absorb the excess water and can rot,’’ he says.

‘‘There aren’t really any rigid rules about using mushrooms,’’ he adds. ‘‘Some say mushrooms don’t go well with fish, but I cook an appetising and aromatic dish with mushrooms and salmon seasoned with fresh herbs and olive oil.’’

Rahul Akerkar, chef and owner of Mumbai restaurant Indigo, says button mushrooms continue to rule in India. ‘‘Among those (mushrooms) which Pancotti has brought, porcini are probably the only ones accessible here,” he says.

Dino Martelli, owner of Mumbai’s Cafe Sesso, exasperatedly describes the mushroom market in the country as a “disaster”.

“The only fresh variety we can lay our hands on is the button, which I use in abundance. But other luscious Japanese or Chinese mushrooms are either not available or are really hard to get. Even oyster mushrooms are available dried, whereas in Sri Lanka, which has similar climatic conditions, they are available off the streets.’’

India also imports shiitake, morels and portobello.

TAGLIATELLE A FUNGHE MENTA
(Home-made fresh pasta with mushrooms and mint)

Ingredients
400 gm fresh pasta
250 gm mushrooms, 3 varieties
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 red hot chillies, optional
1 cup white wine
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
50 gm mint leaves
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic and chillies. Sauté it until brown (do not let the garlic burn).
Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper, and sauté for a few more minutes.
Add the white wine and cook until the wine is reduced to half its quantity.
Cook the pasta in hot, boiling, salted water. Drain it and add to the mushroom sauce; sauté for a few more minutes.
Add a spoonful of water in case the pasta becomes too dry.
Spray with Parmesan cheese and sprinkle extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with fresh mint.