Quick Mushroom Ragu

“You’ll never find a respectable Tuscan trattoria saucing a bowl of pasta with an overly sweet, dried herb-infused red sauce and calling it a “ragu” – but that’s exactly the profile most Americans recognize from the jarred versions that line the supermarket shelves”





Cooks Illustrated – words of wisdom from a magazine that will never let you down. This particular issue had manyt recipes I have been wanting to try. From the March/April 2011 issue we have already made Peruvian Lime Roasted Chicken


And recently we tried the Quick Mushroom Ragu.



Ready for simplicity yet a big return on flavor and appearance? Here comes another pleasing winner from Cooks Illustrated. Thank you to Barb and Gregg, my bro and sis-in-law, for giving me this perfect Christmas gift of a subscription.


Ingredients

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
4 ounces pancetta, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ pound (two large) portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed and discarded, caps cut into pieces
3 TB extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 TB tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole or chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti (I used fresh Buitoni pasta)
Grated pecorino Romano cheese



You start with the pancetta and after rendering it so your kitchen has a heavenly aroma, your tummy growling for some rich tasting dish……you’ll add the mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, etc. and cook for 7 minutes. Now add chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer until thickened.



It’s amazingly meaty, despite the small quantity of pancetta, and total comfort food.





This is a candidate for Presto Pasta Nights if I ever saw one. Since it's from a magazine i will also be sending this to the lovely Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice for her Magazine Monday series.


Cheers!