PASTA WITH THREE MUSHROOM TOMATO SAUCE

“Advice is like mushrooms… the wrong kind can prove fatal.”

There are many types of mushrooms all over the world. Mushrooms are delicious, and they are very nutrient-dense too, full of vitamins and minerals. They are also low in calories, carbs, and fat. However, not all mushrooms are found everywhere. Don’t worry! You can buy them dry, online or in specialty stores. I used 2 types of dry mushrooms in this recipe, along with fresh button mushrooms.

One of the best thing about pasta, like I’ve said before, is that it is so versatile. It’s like a blank page of a notebook. You can write your own story on it. It is a staple in our house and in this time of quarantine should be essential in yours. No matter what you do to it, from the most basic to the most complex recipes, it is simply comfort. This dish has so many layers of flavor. With each bite, you taste each different type of mushroom. The pasta is perfectly cooked, with a slight bite to them, al dente. The scent of the sauce reaches my nose and takes me to Tuscany, sitting in a countryside village, surrounded by vineyards, drinking a glass of wine. Can you picture it? Now fill your glasses with wine because that is the story we are writing with this amazing dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, bow tie

• 6 fresh button mushrooms, diced

• 3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated

• 1/4 cup dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

• 3 sage leaves, chopped

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 ½ cups chicken broth

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• Salt and pepper

• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Put dry mushrooms in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water to rehydrate them, about 10 minutes.

2. In the meantime, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

3. Then, in a large sauté pan heated over high heat, sauté the fresh mushrooms in butter with the shallots, garlic, parsley, and sage until the mushrooms are slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Drain the rehydrated mushrooms, saving 4 tablespoons of the water, and chop. Add to the pot with the fresh mushroom mix.

5. Add the wine and stir until most of the liquid is evaporated.

6. Then, add the broth and cook until the broth is reduced by half.

7. Stir in the tomato sauce and cream, and bring to a boil, stirring. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to marry the flavors.

8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Add the pasta to the sauce, stirring to combine.

10. Serve and enjoy! You could top with Parmesan cheese if you like.