Ingredients
FOR THE FRESH PASTA (PICI)
- Remilled durum wheat semolina 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Water ⅔ cup (160 g) - lukewarm
FOR THE VEGETARIAN BOLOGNESE
- Mixed mushrooms 14 oz (400 g) - (oyster, portobello, brown beech, champignon)
- Walnut kernels 1 ½ cup (150 g)
- Carrots 1
- Celery 1 stalk
- Tomato paste 1 tbsp
- Red wine ¼ cup (60 g)
- Aromatic herbs to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil - as needed
- Black pepper to taste
- Porcini mushrooms 2.5 oz (70 g) - dried
- Tomato purée 1 cup (300 g)
- Onions ½
- Garlic 1 clove
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil 1 oz (25 g)
- Vegetable broth 2 cups (500 g)
- Water - as needed
- Fine salt to taste
Preparation
We’re going to take a gastronomic trip from Tuscany to New York today to sample pici with mushroom and walnut Bolognese, which is a different take on the classic Tuscan pasta dish. The chef at Osteria 57 in New York City, Riccardo Orfino, is the creator of this dish. This vegetarian take on the traditional Bolognese sauce accentuates the rustic texture of the semolina pici pasta to perfection. A pleasing earthy touch is added to the sauce by combining chopped dried porcini mushrooms with fresh mushrooms. Even without any meat, it’s hearty and flavourful because to the roasted walnuts. It’s just a matter of trying!
To make Pici with Mushroom and Walnut Bolognese, first prepare the vegetable broth and keep it warm. Meanwhile, focus on the fresh pasta: spread the semolina flour in a well on a work surface, then pour the lukewarm water into the center
- start to incorporate it with a fork
- Continue to mix the dough by collecting the ingredients with a bench scraper
- Add a pinch of salt
- and knead with your hands
- until the dough is elastic and uniform
- Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.After the dough’s rest time, divide it into smaller portions
- and form long, thin ropes
- Cut the ropes to obtain pici about the length of spaghetti
Lay the pici on a tray lined with a cloth sprinkled with semolina and cover with plastic wrap
- Move on to the mushrooms: soak the dried porcini to rehydrate them
- then clean the fresh mushrooms by removing the earthy part of the base
- Slice the portobello and champignon mushrooms into thin slices
- tear the oyster mushrooms by hand
- and leave the brown beech mushrooms whole. Drain the porcini mushrooms and chop them finely with a knife
- Now, prepare the walnuts: roughly chop the kernels
- and toast them for a few minutes in a pan with a drizzle of oil, so they release their natural oils
- When you start to smell them, turn off the heat and transfer the toasted walnuts to a bowl. Set aside
- In the same pan, add oil and the previously chopped vegetables for the soffritto, namely onion, carrot, celery, and garlic
- Sauté the soffritto over low heat, then add the tomato paste
- and mix well to blend
- Transfer the soffritto to the bowl with the walnuts and set aside
- In the same pan, pour in the mushrooms with a drizzle of oil
- season with salt and pepper, and cook over high heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often. When the mushrooms are golden, add the chopped dried porcini and the soffritto
- Deglaze with red wine
- and let the alcohol completely evaporate, then add the toasted walnuts and the tomato purée
- rinsing the jug with a little water. Also pour in the hot vegetable broth
- Finally, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- and a bouquet of fresh aromatic herbs tied together with string
- Let it simmer gently for 2 hours. When the ragù is ready
- bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pici.Cook the pici for 6-7 minutes
- then drain them into the pan with the sauce and stir to combine everything
- Your Pici with Mushroom and Walnut Ragù are ready to be enjoyed
