Spaghetti alla Boscaiola
As most Italians would tell you, this dish and its recipe come from my mother. She has been cooking this pasta since I was little, preparing it for our Sunday family lunches where my brother and I would fight over the last forchettata (forkful). I love this dish not only for its incredible taste, but also because every time I cook and eat it, it transports me back to those precious moments with my family and connects me to my beloved region.
4
servings15
minutes45
minutes1
hourIngredients
- FOR THE RAGÙ
300 g 300 ground veal and 200 g ground pork
1 medium 1 onion, finely diced
2 2 carrots, finely diced
2 2 celery stalks, finely diced
3 cloves 3 garlic, minced
150 ml 150 dry white wine
500 ml 500 beef or vegetable stock
salt and white pepper to taste
3 tbsp 3 extra virgin olive oil
- FOR THE MUSHROOMS
400 g 400 mixed wild mushrooms
2 cloves 2 garlic, sliced
2 tbsp 2 olive oil
1 tbsp 1 butter
fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
- FOR THE PASTA
400 g 400 fresh pappardelle or tagliatelle
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
- Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large and heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Then, add diced onion, carrots, and celery to prepare the “soffritto”, and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add both ground veal and pork. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook until well browned, for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Pour in white wine and let it reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and bring the heat to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While waiting for the ragù to be ready, clean mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice them into bite-sized pieces.
- Then heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add mushrooms and cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes to develop a golden crust. Then stir and continue cooking until tender, about 5–6 minutes more. Add salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.
- When the preparation of the ragù and of the mushrooms is about to be over, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until “al dente”. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
- Add pasta to the ragù along with the sautéed mushrooms. Gently toss everything together, adding pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
- Lastly, transfer to serving bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- I recommend pairing the dish with a medium-bodied white wine or with a light red.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pan
- Large skillet
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
Notes
- I recommend pairing the dish with a medium-bodied white wine or with a light red.