- Kristina, PWWB Reader
CREMINI & MAITAKE MUSHROOMS
OLIVE OIL
DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS
VEGETABLE STOCK
GARLIC & YELLOW ONION
DRY VERMOUTH
GRATED PARMESAN
FRESH THYME
KOSHER SALT & GROUND BLACK PEPPER
PASTA OF CHOICE
HEAVY CREAM
Brown the fresh mushrooms in olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until deeply browned & golden about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, transfer to a plate & set aside.
Add vegetable broth & dried porcini mushrooms to a separate saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentler simmer for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mushrooms, transfer to a cutting board & chop. Reserve the porcini infused stock inside the pot for later.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same pot the mushrooms were browned in & reduce heat to medium. Add onions & cook until fragrant about 5-6 minutes. Add chopped porcini mushrooms, cook 1-2 minutes. Then add garlic & fresh thyme & cook for another 1-2 minutes.
While the aromatics soften, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta & stir occasionally until pasta is cooked to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water then drain the pasta & set aside.
Increase the heat to medium-high, pour in the dry vermouth & use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until vermouth is almost completely absored.
Add the previously reserved porcini-infused stock to the pot with grated parmesan. Stir to combine then bring to a boil & reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened then stir in heavy cream & browned fresh mushrooms.
Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom ragu sauce & toss to coat. Add in reserved pasta water if needed to loosen up the sauce or more parmesan if needed to thicken. Cook 1-2 minutes to create a cohesive dish!