Porcini and Morel Stroganoff

1. Slice the porcini and morels to about the same size.

2. Start boiling water (with a little salt) in a pot (large enough for the pasta).

3. In the meantime, sauté onions and mushrooms in the butter (in a large pan, on medium heat) until they release their moisture and are lightly browned.

4. Add sherry to the mushrooms, and cook until evaporated (2 or 3 minutes).

5. Add tofu and stir to warm it through (about 2 minutes).

6. Drop the fusilli into the boiling pot of water, cook until al dente, then drain.

7. While the pasta cooks, lower the mushroom mixture to a simmer, and add milk, crème fraîche and spices. Stir well.

8. Add the cooked pasta to the mushrooms. Let the stroganoff cook until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes).

9. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, chopped walnuts, and grated Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.*

* As the stroganoff cools, it will form a skin quickly. To prevent this, either serve it in the hot pan; or pre-warm a serving bowl and immediately transfer the the stroganoff to the bowl right before serving. (Don't use a chafing dish, as it will overcook the pasta and break down the sauce texture.)

If you'll be taking this dish to a potluck, you may be able to maintain the stroganoff texture by modifying the timing a bit:

1. Make the mushroom and tofu sauce the day before or in the morning, but don't add the milk, crème fraîche, and cheese.

2. Allow the mushroom mixture to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

3. If you won't have time or means to boil the fusilli at the potluck, you can undercook the fusilli by about 2 minutes in advance, then toss it with olive oil so it doesn't stick, and refrigerate separately from the mushrooms.

4. At the potluck (or right before leaving home), reheat the mushrooms and tofu over medium-low heat, stir in the milk and crème fraîche, toss in the freshly boiled (or rewarmed) fusilli, and simmer until the sauce clings to the pasta (about 5 minutes), then stir in the Parmesan.