Maria Robledo
Maria Robledo

One of my favorite cooking strategies is to a make a big batch of a mutable “base” with which I can improvise appealing dishes, in tandem with whatever is on hand. In fall and winter, that base is often Wild Mushroom Ragù, a rich, hearty, meaty (but meatless), stew-like sauce made with whatever cultivated “wild” mushrooms are available, such as shiitake, cremini, oyster, and portobello. It’s ideal for meals where you need to serve both carnivores and vegetarians. Because you can make it ahead and freeze it, it allows you to forge wonderful dishes even when life gets wild and you don’t have a moment to spare.

For dinner parties, I’ll use the ragù to make big pasta casseroles layered with shaved ricotta salata or fresh mozzarella cheese and baked until gratineed; my friend’s ancient Italian grandmother calls it “the Big Macaroni”.  I can assemble it ahead and bake it at the last minute. And on nights home alone, the warmed ragu is wonderful scooped up with thick store-bought rosemary potato chips. Over the years, I’ve served the ragu in many ways…

…as a sauce for pasta such as pappardelle, ravioli and orecchiette. Rather than mixing the ragù right into pasta, toss the cooked pasta with grated aged sheep’s milk cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano and a little pasta cooking water to form a creamy coating; then spoon the ragù on top. The pungent cheese acts as a catalyst between the rich sauce and the pasta, heightening and balancing all the flavors…

…spooned into the center of a simple risotto or polenta…

….as a fine stew unto itself, with a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano. Sometimes add shredded  roasted chicken or pork….

… as a fine sauce to layer into lasagna, as well as in gutsy innovations on traditional eggplant parmigiana…

…or to make quick pizzas, spread on rounds of frozen pizza dough and topped with shredded fresh or smoked mozzarella, then baked in a hot oven…

…or in warm hero sandwiches instead of meatballs….

…or topped with a poached or fried egg for breakfast…..

Recipe: Wild Mushroom Ragù

You can prepare the Wild Mushroom Ragù up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Or freeze it in 1 or 2-cup containers for up to 2 months, to draw upon in a moment’s notice.

Makes about 4 cups

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) dried wild mushrooms, preferably porcini or morels
1 pound fresh wild mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini, oyster, porcini, morels or
portobello’s, in any combination
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
One 28-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped, with juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
About 1/2 teaspoon sugar, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, cover and set aside to soak until softened, at least 15 minutes.

Wipe the fresh mushrooms dry with a damp paper towel. Trim off the tough ends and discard. If you are using portobellos, cut out the black gills and discard. Cut larger mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices through the stem; leave smaller ones (under 1 inch) whole.

In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil, onions and garlic, cover, and cook over moderate heat until the onions begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Uncover and sauté until they are just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, scoop the dried mushrooms into a strainer, reserving the soaking liquid. Rinse them under cool water to remove any grit and press them with the back of the spoon to squeeze out the water. Coarsely chop them and reserve.

Carefully spoon about 3/4 cup of the soaking liquid into the saucepan with the onions, leaving behind any grit. Add the red wine and thyme and boil for 1 minute. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the canned tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste if desired, the dried mushroom mixture, the sugar, and the salt. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and the ragù is thick, about 15 minutes. Pepper generously.

Recipe: “Big Macaroni”  (Ziti with Wild Mushroom Ragù and Ricotta Salata)

My friend’s ancient Italian grandmother calls this rustic baked pasta dish “the Big Macaroni”. It is an excellent dish to serve for a dinner party because you can assemble it up to a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature about 2 hours before baking.

4 to 6 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
Salt
1 pound tubular pasta, such as ziti or penne
Wild Mushroom Ragù (see recipe above)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces ricotta salata cheese or fresh, lightly salted mozzarella, thinly sliced or shaved

Lightly oil a shallow 2-quart casserole and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt well and stir in the pasta. Cook the pasta until slightly underdone, a little firmer than al dente (the pasta will continue cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta and plunge it into a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking, running cold tap water on it until it is completely cool. Drain well again, dry the bowl and return the pasta to it.

Add the ragù to the pasta and toss until thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the Parmigiano and pepper to taste and toss again. Pour half the mixture into the prepared casserole. Arrange the ricotta salata shavings over the top, cover with the remaining pasta, and  sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375′. Bake the pasta until heated through and the top is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve at once.

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2 replies on “recipe: wild mushroom ragu + “big macaroni”

  1. I tried this recipe today (actually from your cookbook – I believe it’s exactly the same), and I had two problems.

    First, the ragu had much too much liquid. Even though I more than doubled the simmering time, the last 20 minutes at a light boil, uncovered, there was still quite a lot of liquid. I decided to mix it with the pasta at that point, thinking that perhaps it would continue to concentrate in the oven. The final bake was alright, but the onions and mushrooms tasted a little watery. Next time I plan to reduce even longer, possibly browning the onions or mushrooms separately a little longer.

    Second – after the pasta came together with the ragu, I had much more volume than could fit in a shallow 2-quart casserole. I baked the pasta in a 3-quart pan, sides about 2.5 inches high, and it just barely fit.

  2. Hi Carmine, I’m sorry you had trouble with the ragu. I’ve made that recipe many times myself, and many people I know have, with no concerns of liquid or volume.

    There are a few things I can think of that might have happened: 1) You did not reduce the ragu enough…Perhaps your flame was not as hot as usual making it take longer…or the pan you used inhibited the process. Because there can be discrepancies in the flame, or the kinds of pans used, I always try to give a description of what the end point is, so you will know to take it to that point even if the timing is a little different. The ragu is meant to be very thick, like a stew. 2) you inadvertently added too much liquid somewhere along the line, perhaps using more water to soak the mushrooms, or wine, or tomatoes 3) I suppose it might be possible for the wild mushrooms to have contained water that might account for the excess liquid, especially if you washed them first (mushrooms are very porous).

    I am pretty sure you had too much volume because there was too much liquid.

    I hope this helps. Please let me know if you try it again.

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