Vegetable Bolognese

A classic, hearty and warm dish. Serve it with GF pasta for a gluten free version.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb rigatoni*
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1½ cups hot water
  • 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 5oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, diced
  • 5oz shitake mushrooms, diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ½ cup water from pasta
  • 1 (8oz) container mascarpone cheese
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, place dried porcini mushrooms with hot water. Set aside.
  2. In a bowl of food processor, add onion, carrots, red pepper and garlic. Process until vegetables are finely chopped but still chunky.
  3. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot mixture and sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Season with oregano, thyme, salt and pepper.
  4. In the meantime, cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
  5. Strain porcini mushrooms, reserving liquid. Chop porcini mushrooms and add to saute pan with onion and carrot mixture. Stir in cremini and shitake mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes.
  6. Add tomato paste, red wine, water from dried mushrooms and pasta water to mixture and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked. Add mascarpone cheese and stir until cheese is incorporated. Stir in cooked rigatoni and parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

* If gluten free, use brown rice or gluten free pasta. I used Trader Joes Brown Rice Pasta and it was perfect in this dish!