Mushrooms take the place of beef in this easy, Bolognese-inspired pasta sauce, making it the perfect pick for a meatless meal.
Ingreadient
- 3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
- Kosher salt
- 1 20-ounce package cheese tortellini
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28-ounce can peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 1 cup fresh basil, torn
Direction
- Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup hot water, 5 minutes. Strain through a paper towel-lined sieve, reserving the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, pulse the mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and thyme in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until they start browning, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and the reserved mushroom liquid; bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the basil, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the tortellini. Toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen.
