Dried Italian Porcini Mushrooms

Dried mushrooms have a very strong flavor and it is extremely useful to have some available in your kitchen pantry to use in various dishes. Once you hydrate them, you will not only have some delicious mushrooms at your disposal but also a delicious broth that you can add to soups, stews, risotto, pasta dishes, sauces.

To rehydrate, place as many dried mushrooms as you need in a bowl large enough to hold them all. Pour hot water over the mushrooms and let them sit for 25-30 minutes, until they soften.
The amount of water depends on how many mushrooms you are using —for 15 g of dried mushrooms you will need 3/4 cup (180 ml) of water, for 30 g of mushrooms 1 ½ cups (260 ml) of water, and so on. The mushrooms should be completely covered by the water.

Alternatively, you can soak the mushrooms in broth, wine, sherry, or cognac to give them more flavor.
Once the mushrooms are hydrated and soft, remove them from the bowl and drain them with your hands, pressing them with your fingers to extract as much liquid as possible, letting it drain into the bowl. You can now use the mushrooms in your cooking just as you would fresh mushrooms.

Don't throw away the liquid because it's full of flavor. Strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, removing any dirt or impurities, and use it in your food preparation, replacing other liquids you would use (such as broth or water), or save it for future use.

(Source: greekmylittleexpatkitchen.blogspot.gr)