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Pasta with mushroom and tomato sauce
Fridays in Lent usually mean fish, and this first Friday of Lent was no different. Melanie had picked up a nice piece of salmon that she was going to rub with her chili-spice rub and then broil. She also planned a salad and sweet potato, but I was hankering for something a little more. I was feeling hungry and thought another side would be needed. We’d had rice several times this week, so I thought, why not pasta?
Since it’s pretty cold out, we thought a nice, earthy mushroom and tomato sauce pasta would be tasty and warming and filling. I started by perusing some recipes in “The Silver Spoon” and then jumped off from there.
Porcinis are wonderful mushrooms with a hearty flavor and a deep scent reminiscent of a dark oak forest. Unfortunately, they are difficult to find fresh in the US and very expensive when you do find them. And still somewhat expensive per pound when you buy them dried, at $2.99 for 3/4 ounce. Happily a little goes a long way, as far as flavor goes, but for substance, the addition of some regular button mushrooms soaked in the porcinis’ rehydrating liquid does the trick.
This isn’t a tomato-heavy sauce, but a couple of cups go a long way, and since tomatoes’ best flavors are alcohol soluble, the red wine punches things up.
The result is a deep, hearty flavorful completely vegetarian dish that’s filling and gives a measure of comfort on a cold, Lenten Friday evening.
Note: Because of Melanie’s garlic intolerance, there is none in the dish, but a clove or two sliced up and sauteed with the onions would be a nice addition. Also, if you have access to chanterelles or morels or other more exotic mushrooms, by all means use them instead of the buttons or criminis.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. spaghetti
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3/4 oz. pkg porcini mushrooms, dehydrated (also called sepes)
6 oz. button, crimini, or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cups diced tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red wine
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
Add the dehydrated and regular mushrooms to a large measuring cup with 2 cups of very hot tap water. Let sit to rehydrate. The liquid will become very dark and give off a wonderful earthy scent. This liquid will be very important later.
In a large saute pan, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the onions without browning them, until they become golden and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid. Reserve the liquid and add the mushrooms to the pan. Stir occasionally and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their juice and the wine to the pan. Stir and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Add some of the reserved mushroom liquid at the start of the simmer and periodically afterward to keep the sauce from drying out. You should use up most the liquid by the end of the cooking process.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. When it is al dente, remove from the water and drain but do not shake dry. Add it to the sauce and mix using tongs. If the sauce is too dry to coat the pasta, add a little more of the mushroom liquid, a few tablespoons. If you’ve used all of the mushroom liquid, use some of the pasta water.
Serve immediately in a warm bowl.
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