Trofie ai funghi porcini – Genoese pasta with porcini mushrooms

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g pasta (trofie)
• 300 g porcini mushrooms, frozen
• 400 g tomatoes, chunky (tomato pulp) from the can
• 50 g Parmesan
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 shallot(s)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp, heaped thyme
• 1 rosemary sprig(s), fresh
• 100 ml dry white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g butter
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Place the porcini mushrooms in a sieve, rinse under cold water until no ice crystals remain, and drain well. This is best done 2 hours before cooking. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, and tomato paste while stirring. Deglaze with the wine and simmer over medium heat until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomato pulp and stir in the thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the trofie in 3 liters of water with about 1 lightly heaped tablespoon of salt until al dente, drain, and reserve about 100 ml of the pasta water. Melt the butter in the still-hot pot over low heat, sprinkle in half of the Parmesan cheese, and stir. Return the drained trofie to the pot, mix thoroughly, and cover to keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in another pan. Roast the drained, preferably dry porcini mushrooms with a sprig of fresh rosemary over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer until ready to serve. Season with salt just before serving. Serve in a pasta dish. First, add the pasta, then the tomato sauce, then the porcini mushrooms, then grind fresh pepper and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. If available, garnish with a small sprig of rosemary.