Finely chop a large onion. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat, then sauté the onion for approximately 15 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Peel and slice 2 plump cloves of garlic and add them to the pan along with 2 tsp of chopped thyme, 1 tsp of rosemary, 3 bay leaves, a pinch of dried red pepper flakes, and a little salt and black pepper.
While the onions are cooking, place 10g of dried mushrooms in a heatproof jug, pour over 500ml of boiling water, and let them steep for a few minutes. Stir 2 tbsp of tomato paste into the softened onions, cook for a few minutes, then mix in 2 tbsp of plain flour. After cooking the flour for a couple of minutes, pour in the mushroom broth and the dried mushrooms.
In a separate shallow pan over medium heat, warm a little oil and sauté 350g of small, brown mushrooms (thickly sliced) and 125g of fresh shitake mushrooms. This can be done in batches. Once they are sizzling, add them to the onions. Return the pan to the heat, add a dash more oil, and fry 150g of small, tender mushrooms, such as shimeji. Transfer these mushrooms to the pot, stir gently, and let the mixture simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Cook 150g of pasta (trofie, casarecce, or gemelli work well) until al dente. Lightly drain the pasta, toss it with a dash of olive oil and black pepper, then serve it with the mushroom ragout. This recipe is enough for 2 servings.
Most mushrooms are suitable for this recipe, but ensure that larger varieties are thickly sliced, and add delicate mushrooms like enoki at the end as they cook quickly.
I recommend using tarragon, especially in late summer, as a substitute for rosemary while still including thyme. Use 3 tbsp of chopped tarragon leaves to achieve the desired aniseed flavor.
This ragout pairs well with brown rice, but fluffy white rice also works. It can also be poured over thick rounds of sourdough toast for a deeply satisfying meal.
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