Mushroom Pasta Sauce

Bolognese is a type of ragu or a meat-based sauce originating in Italy. In Italian cuisine, it is traditionally used to dress broad, flat varieties of pasta. Bolognese is a slow cooked creamy tomato meat sauce that follows a certain order of cooking techniques: sweating, sautéing, then braising. The ingredients include minced vegetables, minced beef, tomato sauce, herbs, seasonings, wine, and cream. Oil rendered from a piece of fatty pork like pancetta creates the foundation of the sauce.

In this recipe, instead of minced beef, a combination of minced Portobello and cremini mushrooms are used. These mushrooms are perfectly seared to give the same meaty flavor and texture to the sauce. Unlike the traditional Bolognese, which takes about 3 to 6 hours to make, this mushroom pasta sauce only takes an hour from start to finish. This delicious and healthy dish will definitely transform your “Meatless Monday” to “Mushroom Monday”.

Ingredients:

This recipe takes about 60 minutes to make. Serves 6.

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound of Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 pound of cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup of chopped yellow onion
• ⅔ cup of diced carrots
• ⅔ cup of diced celery
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ¼ cup of tomato paste
• 1 cup of mushroom stock
• 1 3″ piece of Parmesan cheese rind
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 sprigs of basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small leek
• 1 tbsp grated potato
• 1 cup of cream
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• 1 pound of pasta
• ¼ cup of chopped parsley
• ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add onions, carrots, and celery.
Continue sautéing for about 5 to 6 more.
Deglaze the pan with dry white wine.
Allow the mixture to cook for 5 minutes or until the pan is almost dry.
Stir in tomato paste.
Pour the mushroom stock into the pan and simmer for 1 minute.
Add the Parmesan cheese rind.
Roll the basil, bay leaf and leek into a bundle, then tie with a chef’s twine.
Add the bundled herbs and grated potato to the pan.
Pour the cream into the pan and stir well.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then stir well.
Partially cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat off then fish out the Parmesan cheese rind and herb bundle.
Cook the pasta according to packet instruction then transfer to a serving dish.
Spoon the mushroom Bolognese over the pasta, then top off with parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Ideas And Tips:

The mushroom pasta sauce can store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you don’t want to cook with wine, you can use the following:
• ½ cup of white wine vinegar
• ½ cup of grape juice + ½ tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice
• ¼ cup of lemon juice + ¼ cup of water
• ½ cup of vegetable stock + ½ tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice

Aside from cremini and Portobello mushrooms, you can use white mushrooms and shitake mushrooms.

Mushroom Pasta Sauce
images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS_jPokV_BY

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