Culture Magazine

38 culturecheesemag.com C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 BAKED FUSILLI WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS AND PROVOLONE Written and styled by Molly Shuster Photographed by Lauren Volo Creamy and rich with great depth of flavor, this cheesy pasta is a go-to winter recipe. Undercook the pasta so it doesn't get mushy when it bakes. Serves 4 to 6 1 pound fusilli 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup whole milk ¾ cup heavy cream ½ teaspoon kosher salt 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped (about 1 medium ball) 6 ounces provolone, chopped (about 8 slices) ¼ cup finely chopped basil ¼ cup finely chopped sage Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilli, cook 5 minutes, and drain. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Place mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over to rehydrate. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and place on cutting board. Reserve ¹⁄ ³ cup of mushroom liquid, avoiding any grit at bottom of bowl. Discard remaining liquid and roughly chop mushrooms. Heat oven to 375°F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and cream. Stir in salt and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and stir in reserved mushroom liquid. Add mozzarella and provolone and let stand 5 minutes. Briefly stir to combine—some cheese may not melt, and that's fine. Toss pasta with cheese sauce, mushrooms, basil, and sage. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and dot with remaining butter. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until golden and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Serve warm. GREEN VEGETABLE TAMALES Written by Molly Shuster Filling and bundling corn husks takes a bit of practice, so don't worry too much about how they look—just be sure to totally encase the filling to prevent leaks. Use a steamer basket for this recipe. Makes 12 to 14 tamales 1 6-ounce bag dried corn husks 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ bunch Swiss chard (5 to 6 large leaves), stems and leaves separated and finely chopped 1 medium zucchini, diced 2 large jalapeños, seeds removed and minced (include seeds for additional heat, if desired) 1 cup crumbled cotija 2½ cups masa harina 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste ¾ cup lard (or vegetable shortening) 2 cups hot water Hot sauce, for serving Bring a large pot of water to boil. Remove from heat and add corn husks. Weigh husks down with a plate or pot so they are totally submerged. Soak 30 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water. While husks are soaking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chard stems. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add zucchini and jalapeños and cook until softened, about 3 minutes more. Add chard leaves and cook until wilted, 2 minutes more. Cool mixture to room temperature, then stir in cotija. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk together masa harina and salt. Add lard and 2 cups hot water and stir to combine. Sort cornhusks by size, setting aside the largest husks. Line a steamer basket with a few of the smaller husks. Place basket in a large pot and fill pot with water until it just reaches the husks. Tear remaining smaller husks into thin strips to make ties for the tamales. One at a time, lay the larger corn husks out flat, smooth side up. Add about ¼ cup masa dough and smear over the husk until ¼-inch-thick or less. Add 2 heaping tablespoons vegetable mixture to each husk. Fold up the bottom of the husk then fold in the sides and top to make a bundle and seal the filling. Tie at the top with 1 or 2 husk strips. The tamale will look like a little cinched pouch. Repeat with remaining husks, masa, and filling. Place tamales in a steamer basket, cover, bring water to a boil, then gently simmer until the dough is tender and puffed, about 40 minutes. Serve with hot sauce. Baked Fusilli with Porcini Mushrooms and Provolone

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