Forest mushroom-filled tortellini are served with a crystal clear consommé, packed with deep mushroom flavour in this wonderful vegetarian recipe. Recipes by Yolanda Schoeman. Photographs by Kelly Zetler.

Pasta

400g bread flour
4 whole eggs
10ml olive oil

Place the bread flour in a bowl, making a well in the center. Mix the egg and olive oil together and add to the bread flour. Mix with a fork until incorporated. Knead the dough until smooth, wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Forest Mushroom Duxelle Filling

100g onion, finely chopped
50g butter
500g mushroom variety, diced
10g salt
2g ground black pepper
5ml lemon juice
100ml heavy cream, reduced by half
2g parsley, chopped

• Sweat the onion in the butter over a medium high heat until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté them until dry to create a duxelle. Season the duxelle with the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the cream and chopped parsley and mix well. If desired, the duxelle can be chilled and reserved for later use.

To Make The Tortellini

• Roll the pasta dough out into thin sheets using a pasta machine.
• Depending on the size of the tortellini required, use a round cutter to cut the dough into circles.
• Take a round of dough, fold into a half circle and place a small amount of filling in the center. Run a finger dipped in water along the edge which will act as a glue to seal the edge. Hold the halfcircle with the flat edge down between your thumb and index finger, folding it around your finger. Where the dough overlaps, give it a pinch with wet fingers to hold it together. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough rounds, making sure to dust with semolina flour to prevent them from sticking together.

Mushroom Stock

Makes about 3 litres

2kg button mushrooms
6 large field mushrooms
50ml vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 onions, peeled and sliced
300ml Madeira wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
3l vegetable stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
6 sprigs fresh tarragon
50g dried mushrooms

• Clean the fresh mushrooms by wiping them with a damp cloth, then slice finely.
• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic and onions and sauté until golden brown.
• When golden brown add the Madeira and continue to cook until it has reduced by three-quarters.
• Remove the pan from the heat and lightly season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
• Cover with the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and skim off any impurities that float to the surface.
• Add the fresh herbs and dried mushrooms and simmer for 45 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pass the stock through a fine sieve, pressing down on the mushrooms to extract as much flavour and colour as possible.

Mushroom Consommé

200ml fresh egg whites
50g carrot, sliced
50g onion, quartered
50g celery, sliced
10g dried mushrooms
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g button mushrooms, roughly chopped
1, 5l mushroom stock, cold

• Place the egg whites, carrots, onion, celery, dried mushrooms and button mushrooms into a mixer and process until fine. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Pour the cold mushroom stock into a heavy-based saucepan and beat the mixture into the stock. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom or around the sides of the saucepan. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stop stirring. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Make a hole in the centre of the crust with a tablespoon. Remove from the heat and ladle out the clarified consommé through the hole, taking care not to break the raft. Pass the consommé through a fine sieve lined with a double layer of muslin cloth. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To Serve:

• Cook the filled tortellini in boiling, salted water until al dente. Reheat the consommé in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the tortellini and sliced truffles and heat for a further 15 seconds. Garnish with chopped tarragon, chervil and chives.