In winter we make this with wild porcini that were sliced and dried in the autumn sun; they have a very different flavor from fresh mushrooms, with a more intense muskiness that recalls the bosky aromas of the forest floor. But if you live in a part of the world where fresh wild mushrooms are available in winter, by all means use fresh ones instead—about one-half pound of fresh mushrooms will take the place of the dried ones in the recipe. Clean wild mushrooms very well, using a soft brush to get rid of any bits of soil, but rinse only briefly right before you are about to use them so they won’t absorb too much liquid (see here). Add sliced fresh mushrooms to the skillet with the onion, carrot, celery, and parsley, and let them sauté gently with the vegetables before adding the tomatoes.
We use a pasta shape called sagna riccia, long, flat noodles with a ruffled edge, available from Pastificio Masciarelli; or try Benedetto Cavalieri’s similar shape called lasagnotte. Pappardelle would work well here too.
SERVES 6
1½ ounces dried porcini
1 pound sweet Italian sausages
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium carrot, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with their juice, chopped
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 or 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1 pound (500 grams) pasta (see headnote)
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus more to pass, if desired
Put the dried porcini in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Set aside for 30 minutes to soften, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the mushroom liquid. Rinse the mushrooms briefly in running water and chop coarsely.
Open up the sausage skins with a sharp knife and remove the insides. Crumble the sausage meat into a heavy skillet and set over medium-low heat. If the sausage is very dry, add a tablespoon of olive oil; otherwise, sauté the sausage slowly in its own fat until it has all changed color. Then stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and parsley and cook, again slowly, until the vegetables have softened considerably. Once the vegetables are soft, add the tomatoes and their juice, breaking the tomatoes up with your hands or using the side of a cooking spoon to chop them in the pan. Add the thyme and rosemary and leave the sauce to simmer very gently, uncovered, until it is thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Now stir in the reserved strained mushroom liquid and the coarsely chopped mushrooms. Continue cooking until the ragù is very thick. Taste and add salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and the pasta and cook following the directions here, until done, 10 to 12 minutes. Put about 1 cup of the ragù in the bottom of a warm serving bowl, then drain the pasta and turn it immediately into the bowl. Add another ladleful of ragù and turn the pasta in the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with the grated parmigiano, and serve immediately, passing more grated cheese, if you wish.