Sugo di Funghi

Sugo di Funghi (Italian Mushroom Ragù)

A slow-cooked northern Italian mushroom sauce built on a soffritto base with mixed fresh and dried porcini, finished with white wine and a touch of tomato paste. Use it on pappardelle, as a risotto base, or spooned over polenta and bruschetta.

Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •20 g (0.7 oz) dried porcini mushrooms
• •250 ml (1 cup) warm water
• •300 g (10½ oz) fresh porcini mushrooms, or substitute champignon / cremini if porcini are unavailable
• •200 g (7 oz) champignon or cremini mushrooms
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• •20 g (1½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• •1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• •1 small carrot, finely diced
• •1 stalk celery, finely diced
• •2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• •120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Soave
• •2 tbsp tomato paste, doubles for 1 tbsp concentrated tomato passata if preferred
• •250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable stock, warmed
• •2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• •2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •1 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Place the dried porcini in a small bowl, pour over the 250 ml warm water, and let soak for 15 minutes until softened. Lift the porcini out (reserving the soaking liquid) and chop finely. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or fine cloth to remove any grit and reserve.
2. 2 Clean the fresh porcini and champignon mushrooms with a damp cloth or a quick rinse under cool water (do not soak). Trim any sandy bases. Slice the fresh porcini about 5 mm thick and roughly chop the champignon.
3. 3 Heat the olive oil and butter together in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. When the butter foams, add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, translucent and just beginning to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. 4 Increase the heat to medium-high, add all the mushrooms (fresh and rehydrated) and the thyme. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and most of it has evaporated, and the edges begin to take on colour.
5. 5 Pour in the white wine and let it bubble and reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. 6 Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to caramelise it slightly. Pour in the reserved porcini soaking liquid and the warm stock. Season with salt and pepper.
7. 7 Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce is ready when it is thick, glossy and the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid; the oil should just begin to separate at the edges. If it dries out too quickly, add a splash of stock or hot water.
8. 8 Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Use immediately over fresh pappardelle, as a risotto base, or cool and refrigerate up to 3 days.