Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or as needed
- 1 cup spanish onion, cut into small dice
- 3 cup garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 pound mushrooms, ideally 8 ounces each white button, cremini, shiitake, and oyster, trimmed (discard shiitake stems) and thinly sliced
- 1 pound heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 pound fresh sage leaves, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cup dark chicken stock
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Fresh pasta sheets, cut into stracci or other wide pasta, such as pappardelle or 1 pound fresh or dried store-bought stracci or other wide pasta A wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano, for gratingPour the oil into a wide, heavy sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering and almost smoking.
Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring, until they begin to give off their liquid, about 5 minutes, adding more oil if the pan becomes too dry.
Stir in the tomato paste, stirring to coat the mushrooms, and cook until it turns a shade darker, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the rosemary, sage, and red pepper flakes.
Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until it has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the stock and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, partially cover the pan, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 1 hour.
(The sauce can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently before proceeding.)
Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before the sauce is ready, fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and salt it liberally.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes for fresh, or 9 minutes for dried.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.
Toss well.
Divide the pasta and sauce among 4 to 6 plates, using a kitchen spoon to layer the mushrooms and sauce between layers of pasta.
Shave some cheese and grind some black pepper over each serving and serve.
Variations: This dish is also good with thyme instead of rosemary.
You can vary the mushrooms, using just about any variety.
You can also use the mushroom sauce to top a grilled steak.
It would be a somewhat modern touch, but adding some tomato confit to the mushrooms just before tossing with the pasta brings welcome color and sweetness to the plate.
