Adding dried porcini mushrooms to spaghetti bolognese can make the dish richer and tastier, according to Slimming World Kitchen's Allison Brentnall.
Secret ingredient for richer flavour
Brentnall said: "Adding dried porcini mushrooms to this classic recipe adds depth of flavour in the sauce, and is good if you're short on time."
The mushrooms add an umami depth and help develop a deep, rich flavour in the sauce.
How to prepare the mushrooms
The dried porcini mushrooms should be soaked in warm water before use, following the instructions on the packet. Once ready, drain them, chop them up, and add to the dish while it's simmering.
The recipe from Slimming World includes ingredients such as 1 onion, 1 pepper, 1 carrot, 120g chestnut mushrooms, 2 garlic cloves, 50g smoked bacon medallions, ½ beef stock cube, 5g dried porcini mushrooms, 250g beef mince (5% fat or less), 200g pasta, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 tbsp tomato purée, and 400g chopped tomatoes.
Step-by-step cooking method
Peel and finely dice the onion, deseed and dice the pepper into 1cm squares, finely dice the carrot into 1cm cubes, and quarter the chestnut mushrooms. Peel and crush the garlic. Trim any visible fat from the bacon medallions and roughly chop.
Dissolve the stock in 200ml boiled water, add the dried porcini, and leave to soak. Spritz a large non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and place over a medium-high heat. Fry the bacon for two minutes, then add the mince and fry for five minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Cook the pasta in boiling water and drain. Meanwhile, scoop the porcini from the stock and finely chop. Put the frying pan back over the heat and fry the onions, pepper, carrots, chestnut mushrooms, garlic, porcini, and oregano for four to five minutes. Return the bacon and mince to the pan, add the tomato purée, and cook for one minute. Pour in the stock and chopped tomatoes, lightly season, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir the pasta through the bolognese and serve.
