#all credits belong to cucina botanica

[milla984]

Today I found amazing portobello mushrooms at my local grocery store so I decided to cook some sauce: it's very easy to make and it's suitable for vegetarians, vegans and for those who simply want to try something different and meatless!

- ingredients, recipe and images of food below the cut -

Portobello mushrooms and walnuts sauce

- three big portobello mushrooms (approx. 300g) - half an onion (quantities may vary, depending on your taste) - walnuts, soaked in hot water for 30mins (for this recipe I used about five) - plain tomato sauce (approx 3 cups) - a pinch of sugar - salt and pepper - spices and herbs (I like cloves, nutmeg and thyme) - extra virgin olive oil - half a glass of water - white wine (optional)

You will need: - a food processor/blender - a large pot

Start by slicing the onion and roughly dicing the mushrooms. I prefer a thin cut for the onions but that's totally optional, since they will be put in a food processor together with the mushrooms.

Cover the base of a large pot with extra virgin olive oil and put it over medium heat, then add the onions when the oil starts heating up but it's not too hot; when the onions become translucent add the mushrooms, half a glass of water (or a splash of white wine if you feel fancy) salt & pepper and let them cook over medium heat until they shrink to approx half their size.

While the mushrooms are cooking, put the walnuts in a food processor and set them aside. I always make sure they're finely chopped 'cause that's how I like it but if you don't mind a bit of crunch you can make bigger pieces, it's all a matter of personal taste.

When the mushrooms and onions are ready put them in the food processor. The original idea behind this recipe was to make a vegetarian/vegan ragù sauce using mushrooms and walnuts to recreate the small pieces of minced meat but you should find out which size works best for you!

Once the mixture is ready put it back in the pot, add the walnuts and the tomato sauce, stir everything together and cook over low heat for about 25-30 mins. I like to add my herbs and spices halfway through but they can be added only at the end, with a pinch of sugar to contrast the acidity of the tomato sauce.

My own two cents: there really isn't a right or wrong quantity of tomato sauce you can use but if the final result turns out too runny it won't stick to your pasta the way it should.

Also, imho the best choice for this sauce would be a rough type of fresh pasta (such as pappardelle or tagliatelle) in order to create the perfect 'grip'.

This recipe is also perfect for lasagna!!

Buon appetito!!!