Mushroom Ragu

While on our honeymoon, Nick and I had a mushroom pasta dish in Italy that was amazing and I've been trying to figure out how to make it ever since.  It was almost like Bolognese, which had beef and veal... brings a tear to my eye. 

Anyway, I found this recipe for Mushroom Ragu from Giada, which looked similar to what we had in Italy, so I gave it a shot.  It turned out really good, nothing like the one in Italy, I'll have to keep trying, but the fresh ingredients are a nice touch to this dish.  The flat leaf parsley at the grocery store looked nasty, so I used the other kind, which is very pungent, so I'd stick with the flat.  Enjoy!

Mushroom Ragu

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake, baby bella) chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Marsala

2 cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)

5 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

In a large skillet heat the oil. When almost smoking, add the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions have wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and saute until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from heat and pour in Marsala. Return pan to stove and allow wine to evaporate, about 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth and simmer for 1/2 hour until the sauce has reduced by half. Add heavy cream and mix well. Take the pan off the heat and add the fresh herbs and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.