Ingredients
Half of a 16oz bag of baby carrots
Medium to large red onion
Medium to large Italian red pepper
20-gram bag of dried Porcini mushrooms
6 to 8 cloves of garlic (depends on size)
8 sprigs of fresh oregano and thyme
Two handfuls of Italian parsley
Little more than half of an 8oz tub of mascarpone cheese
Little more than half of a 5oz tub of shredded Asiago cheese (you end up using it all when you serve the dish as a topping)
1 6oz can of tomato paste
About two cups of hot water
1 cup red wine, dry (if you would not drink it do not cook with it)
About 1/4 cup of olive oil
Salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper
One 1lb box of mezzi rigatoni or penne
Use either of the following;
A cup of each, Shitake & Cremini and mini portabella mushrooms (yes 3 cups)
Or One large zucchini
Directions
Place the dried porcini in the hot water and set aside.
Rough chop the oregano and thyme leave together.
Rough chop Italian parsley.
Rough chop the carrots, onion, red pepper and garlic and place in a food processor; pulse the veggies until minced – DO NOT PUREE – you want it a bit chunky, little the texture of chop meat.
If using the 3 cups of mushrooms, clean and rough chop, you want sizable chunks
If using zucchini, peal, half then quarter and slice.
Place olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium to high heat (the pan needs to big enough to make the sauce and then add the cooked pasta too and still be able to toss).
Add veggies, oregano & thyme and salt and black pepper to taste, cook until soft about 6 to 8 minutes.
Strain the dried, not soft porcini mushrooms – SAVE the liquid.
Add porcini mushrooms and either the fresh mushrooms or zucchini, tomato paste. Cook until the newly added veggies are soft and tomato paste is dissolved. About 5 minutes.
Start the salted water for pasta.
Add the porcini mushroom liquid and the red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer reducing the liquid by a third or so. About 10 minutes.
When water is ready for pasta for about ten minutes, do not over cook the pasta.
Add Mascarpone cheese, Asiago cheese, and parsley. Stir until cheeses are incorporated.
Add cayenne pepper to taste.
Drain pasta and add it to the sauce and toss until all coated.
Serve and add more Asiago cheese to the top.