Mushroom Bolognese Fettucini

Although I might say this about a lot of dishes, I really did find this one to be truly amazing!  Both of us love mushrooms, so when I spotted this recipe- it was definitely a must-try.  It does take a little bit of time to simmer the sauce, therefore I would recommend it for a weekend evening.  But it’s well worth the time, every single bite.  The variety (and amount) of mushrooms in the sauce gave it a meaty texture.  Serve it with a glass of red wine (especially since you had to open a bottle for this recipe), and you’ve got yourself a treat.

Mushroom Bolognese Fettucini
Adatped by: The Italian Dish Blog

3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 onion, diced
salt & pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cups red wine
1 lb baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed red pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pot, then saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Add the salt and pepper to taste (recommendation, about 1-2 tsp).  Let the vegetables cook for about 5-10 minutes on low heat, until the onions are translucent.  Add the wine, and cook for another 5 minutes.  Then add all of the mushrooms and the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes to an hour; until the liquid has cooked off.  Feel free to add salt and pepper to taste if needed. 

* This step is optional.  We took half of the sauce and pureed it. We mixed the two halves together, and then poured it over the cooked fettucini.