Beggar's Purse of Spaghetti, Black Truffle & Mushrooms

This is a fun way to serve a pasta course at a small dinner party. It takes a bit of work, but it can be prepared about 45 minutes to an hour ahead of time. The spaghetti is purposely undercooked because the pasta will be baked a further 10 minutes in the oven. When your guests cut open their beggar’s purses, the aroma wafting around the table will be spectacular and mouthwatering.  

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

• 4 each square sheets of parchment baking paper 16” x 16”
• 4 pieces of butcher twine – 10 inches long
• 1 pound of good quality spaghetti
• 1.5 to 2 oz fresh black truffle
• 2 whole shallots – sliced
• 1 stick of butter – divided in half
• 1 cup good quality poultry broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh picked thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup cream sherry
• 10 oz seasonal mushrooms – sliced or cut into bite size pieces

·        Chanterelles

·        Porcini

·        Black Trumpet

·        Tree Oyster

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Thinly slice or grate black truffle on to a small plate and set aside. 
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil and cook the spaghetti for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• While pasta is cooking. Place a large sauté pan over high heat and add half the butter. When the butter is golden and sizzling, add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until they soften and release their juices. Add fresh thyme and shallots and cook another 2-3 minutes. add cream sherry and cook for an additional 2 minutes then add the poultry broth.
• Let this mixture come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked spaghetti and mix well with the mushroom sauce. Add the remaining butter and mix well. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
• Lay each of the 4 parchment paper sheets in a wide, shallow soup bowl or dinner plate with a turned-up edge. Divide the spaghetti evenly between the 4 sheets. Distribute the mushrooms, shallots and sauce evenly between the pasta. Sprinkle the grated or sliced truffle on the pasta and finally drizzle all four pastas with the extra virgin olive oil.
• Bring the edges of the parchment paper together and gather the other paper edges. Tie together with butcher twine to create a paper bag…or…a beggar’s purse.
• Set the beggar's purses on a baking sheet pan and put in the preheated oven. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.
• Serve the purses individually on a plate immediately out of the oven. Let each guest open their beggar's purse open with a pair of scissors. The steamy aroma of noodles, mushrooms and truffles will surround your guests with incredible culinary anticipation!  

Recipe courtesy of Chef Michael Smith (Farina, Kansas City, MO), for the 2026 Napa Truffle Festival.