Cooking with Syrah

Penne with Sausage, Procini and Portobello Mushrooms, and Syrah

Serves:  4 (I disagree, serves 6)
Source:  The Wine Lover's Cookbook, by Sid Goldstein

I love wine, and I love food so this cookbook is one of my favorites.  This was the first time I have made this recipe so wasn't sure what to expect.  I'll be honest, the outcome was good, but not great. See notes below  recipe to see what I would change for next time.  

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
12 ounces Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 1.2 cups chopped yellow onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms
3.4 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups syrah
2  14 1/2 ounce cans chopped tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
1 pound dried penne or other small dried pasta
garnish:  shredded asiago cheese, chopped parsley

Soak porcini in hot water for 2 to 3 hours.  Drain.  In a medium, non-stick skillet saute sausage over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes until brown on both sides.  Remove with slotted spoon, place on paper towel, and pat dry.  In the same pan (with drippings from sausage remaining), saute onions and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent.  Add mushrooms, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and continue sauteing for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer to reduce by half.  Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.  Add reserved sausage and heat through.  Season to taste.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Carefully add penne and cook according to package directions or until it is al dente.  Drain and return penne to pot.  Add sauce to pasta and mix thoroughly.  Reheat, if necessary.  To serve, divide pasta among 4 large pasta or soup bowls.  Top with cheese and parsley.


Notes:  The wine flavor was a little much so next time, I would remove the mushrooms after they are cooked and add them back right before I serve. This would prevent the mushrooms from absorbing so much of the wine flavor.  I would also reduce the wine amount to 1 cup and substitute in some cream or half and half to make the sauce thicker.  Finally, I would use fresh mushrooms instead of dried.  This would add more depth to the dish as dried mushrooms are thin and often rubbery in texture.  I recommend topping with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts for some crunch.




Ratings:
Moe, 6 out of 10
Miss J, 5 out of 10


- Miss J