Angela's Italian Recipe for Rigatoni Bolognese with Vegetables

Rigatoni Bolognese with Vegetables
(Rigatoni Bolognese Con Verdura)


Ingredients:

1 oz (28 grams) dried porcini mushrooms (1 cup) 1 cup boiling-hot water 2 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces 2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 medium shallots, quartered lengthwise 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 3/4 lb rigatoni pasta 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1/2 cup) plus additional for serving

Directions:

Soak mushrooms in boiling-hot water 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse carrots, celery, shallots and bell pepper together in a food processor until chopped. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Add chopped vegetables, rosemary, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 12 minutes. Lift mushrooms out of soaking liquid, squeeze excess liquid back into bowl (reserve liquid), and rinse mushrooms well to remove any grit.

Finely chop mushrooms, then add to vegetables in skillet along with tomato paste.

Cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute.

Add wine and boil until wine is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a 6 to 8 quart pot of boiling salted water until 'al dente'.

Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water in a heatproof measuring cup, then drain pasta in a colander. Add reserved mushroom-soaking liquid to sauce and bring to a simmer.

Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water to sauce, tossing to coat (thin sauce with additional cooking water if necessary).

Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Antipasti

Beef

Bread

Desserts

Egg

Lamb

Pasta

Polenta

Pork

Poultry

Rabbit

Risotto

Salads

Sauces

Seafoods

Soups

Vegetables