Mushroom Bolognese

Cook Time 1 hour and 20 minutes

Servings 4-6

Ingredients

80ml extra virgin olive oil
800g field mushrooms
200g mixed Asian-style mushrooms
4 sprigs of thyme
½ tsp chilli flakes
20g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 500ml hot water
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, coarsely grated
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup white wine
2 x 410g can of Ardmona Chopped Tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 packet of linguine
1 small handful of basil, chopped
Parmesan, for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a large tray with foil and smear ½ teaspoon of the oil over. Peel the field mushrooms and trim the stalk. Place the field mushrooms smooth side down on the tray along with the mixed Asian mushrooms and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the chilli and thyme leaves. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Roughly dice the mushrooms into 2-3cm pieces. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the porcini mushrooms and roughly chop. Reserve the liquid.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onion, carrot, garlic and anchovies and cook over medium heat for 5–8 minutes until very soft. Now add the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn the heat up and add all of the mushrooms, stirring through the onion mixture. Now add the wine and reduce by half. Add the strained porcini water and bring to the boil before adding the tomatoes and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and turn the heat down. Cook for 40 minutes, with the lid on until it is rich and fragrant.

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions. Drained and toss through mushroom sauce with freshly chopped basil. Serve the pasta with Parmesan.