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Ziti with Porcini Bolognese Sauce

Ziti with Porcini Bolognese Sauce

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5 from 1 review

Porcini mushrooms add a great depth of flavor to this classic Italian meat sauce recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ozs dried porcini
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 7 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ cup red wine
  • 28 ozs diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups porcini liquid
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 3/4 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 1/2 lbs ziti
  • parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the water in a pan. When it starts to boil, remove from stove and pour over the dried porcini in a bowl that can withstand the hot water. Let the porcini soak in the water for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Place a sieve over a bowl and line it with a wet paper towel. Pour the mushrooms into the sieve. Reserve the porcini soaking water. Rinse the mushrooms, then coarsely chop and set aside.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the carrots, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, cook for another minute. Add another tablespoon olive oil, and gradually add the beef and ground chicken, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 10 minutes to brown the meat. Add the porcini mushrooms, and stir to combine.
  5. Stir in the cooking wine, and cook for about 5 minutes until the wine has been mostly absorbed into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups reserved porcini liquid, and chicken broth. Add the thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano.
  6. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. If you have time to let is simmer longer, that further enhances the flavors.
  7. Cook the pasta according to package instructions toward the end of the simmering time for the sauce. Drain the pasta, and toss with enough sauce to thoroughly coat the ziti. Keep the extra sauce warm on low heat.
  8. Plate the pasta and top with a bit of additional sauce, if desired. Pass the cheese at the table, and enjoy with a good Italian red wine.
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