Pasta with Tomatoes and Porcini Mushrooms Recipe

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallots are translucent.

Gently remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and give them a rough chop. Add them to the shallots; cook another minute or two to infuse the shallots with their flavor.

Add the soaking liquid, being careful to leave behind the silt at the bottom of the bowl. Cook until the liquid becomes syrupy.

Then add tomatoes and a good sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes, crushing the tomatoes as the sauce reduces. The sauce should not be watery, but concentrated and thick.

Cook the pasta according to package directions making sure to add a handful of kosher salt to the water right after it boils, before adding the pasta. Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and combine well over medium heat. Serve immediately with a few leaves of basil or parsley shredded on top. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.