This comforting pasta dish with vegan Bolognese sauce is a perfect winter warm-up. Easily made one-pot ragu goes well not only with any short or long pasta but can only be used in vegan lasagne.
Pairs well with full-bodied, fruity red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah or Barbera.
INGREDIENTS ------------------
Serves 4
4 servings of favourite [gf] pasta
40 g dry wild mushrooms
500 ml boiling water + 1 tsp unrefined salt
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 shallot, chopped finely
4 large garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 large carrot, diced very finely
5 - 6 chestnut or white mushrooms, chopped finely
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped finely
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp savory
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp chilli flakes [or more if you prefer a spicier version]
1 tbsp unrefined salt, adjust to taste
250 ml vegan, good quality red wine
400 g canned peeled plum tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato puree
100 g / 1/2 cup dry puy or green lentils
2 dates, chopped or 1 tsp brown sugar [optional]
black pepper, to taste
fresh parsley to garnish
[optional] vegan parmesan to garnish [easily home-made: simply blitz roasted pistachios [25g] and cashews [25g] in a blender and mix with nutritional yeast [50g].
METHOD ------------------
Cover the dry mushrooms with boiling water with salt. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish. Add the shallot, pinch of salt and sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, until the onion has softened.
Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
Next add chopped carrot and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, for ca. 5 min.
Meanwhile, drain and finely chop the re-hydrated dry mushrooms. Retain the mushroom stock.
Add the chopped dry mushrooms to the pan and stir.
Add chopped rosemary and dates as well as spices [thyme smoked paprika, nutmeg, chilli flakes and savory]. Stir and cook for ca. 1 min.
Add one half of mushroom stock.
Once the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, add the wine and keep stirring until alcohol evaporates and leaves the vegetables with a tasty essence [ca. 5 minutes].
Add canned tomatoes and tomato puree. If using whole canned tomatoes, break them up with a spatula first.
Add lentils and the remaining mushroom stock. Season with salt and black pepper.
Stir well and put the lid on and allow the sauce to bubble on a low-medium heat (ca. 25 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile cook the pasta.
Take the lid off the pan and if there is too much liquid, reduce the sauce by continuing to cook on a low-medium heat for another 5 minutes or so. If the pan looks a bit too dry, add a bit of water (pasta cooking water is best) and cook until you achieve the desired consistency. Give the sauce a good stir from time to time to ensure that the middle of the pan does not burn.
Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.
Mix with pasta and garnish with vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
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