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Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce with Herbs
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Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce

Servings 8 cups
Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup Chianti (I used Da Vinci Wine Chianti here)
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, lightly rinsed if dusty
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 smallish onion, finely chopped (heaping 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped (heaping 1/2 cup)
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped (heaping 1/4 cup)
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and finely chopped
  • 2 28- ounce cans crushed tomato
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

Instructions

  • Bring Chianti and dried porcinis to a simmer in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and cover. Let steep for 30 minutes, then scoop out the porcinis with a slotted spoon and reserve. Return the pot with the wine over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 3 – 4 tablespoons of liquid. Chop the porcinis and set aside along with the reduced wine.
  • Warm olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once you see the oil shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flake, and the cremini mushrooms, then continue to sauté until vegetables are soft but not brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Add crushed tomato, tomato paste, water, bay, thyme, sugar, reserved chopped porcini, reduced wine, a few pinches of kosher salt and several turns of freshly ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low then simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.
  • To finish the sauce, stir in chopped parsley and basil. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Serve this sauce with your favorite pasta. I like to add two or three sizable spoonfuls of sauce to freshly drained spaghetti, tossing to coat. This will ensure that the spaghetti absorbs the flavor of the sauce. Place a mound of spaghetti on a plate then top with extra sauce (I like it saucy :)), chopped parsley and/or basil, grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.