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Oat-Coated Puffball with Sage
Giant puffball mushrooms take center stage in this savory dish. Thick slices of the mushroom are dipped in egg, coated in seasoned oats, and pan-fried until golden and crisp. A rich butter sauce made with crispy pancetta and fresh sage leaves adds deep, salty flavor to the finished plates. The crispy oat crust contrasts beautifully with the tender, meaty texture of the puffball. Serve this hearty recipe for a rustic weekend brunch or a comforting autumn lunch.
Ingredients
- 1–1½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 4 rashers of pancetta or streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 10–12 sage leaves
- 100g porridge oats (not jumbo oats)
- 4–6 slices of giant puffball (about 10cm in diameter and 2cm thick), skin removed
- 20g butter
Instructions
- 1Measure out the sea salt and black pepper to have ready for seasoning the dish.
- 2Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in one tablespoon of oil, add the chopped pancetta or bacon, and cook until the meat turns crispy and releases its fat.
- 3Remove the pan from the heat. Scoop out the cooked pancetta or bacon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- 4Whisk the egg and milk together in a shallow bowl with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Finely chop half of the sage leaves and mix them into the oats in a separate bowl.
- 5Put the frying pan back over medium heat, adding a splash more oil if the pan looks dry. Dip each slice of puffball into the egg mixture, then press it into the oats to create an even coating.
- 6Shake off any loose oats and carefully lay the coated puffball slices into the hot pan. Fry for three to four minutes per side until the crust is golden brown, then move them to warm plates.
- 7Put the cooked pancetta or bacon back into the frying pan. Add the butter and the rest of the whole sage leaves.
- 8Heat everything for one minute until the butter bubbles, the meat is hot, and the sage smells fragrant. Spoon the savory butter mixture over the fried puffball slices and serve immediately.