Mushroom, Fennel & Sage Pasta Sauce

A Rustic, sweet and briny vegetarian sauce featuring mushrooms, fennel, sage and capers. The mushrooms are chopped finely and stewed down with onions, garlic and tomato. Fennel and sage bring the licorice and herbal kick.

Pictured is a version with Busiate (twisted/coiled pasta), but feel free to use your favorite pasta shape.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 white onion - diced

1 medium fennel bulb - diced

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 portobello mushrooms - finley chopped

8 oz crushed tomatoes - careful substituting with tomato sauce as it contains spices.

Vegetable broth 1/2 cup

1/2 cup Red Wine

1 Tbsp capers (sub chopped olives if needed)

handful of sage - chopped

1 Tsp oregano

Olive Oil

Salt

Black Pepper

Optional for heat: hot chile flakes, calabrian chile paste, or fresno peppers

Optional: 1/4 stalk celery - diced

Optional: 1 medium carrot - diced

Steps

In a large saucepan or stock pot, set to medium heat

1. Add diced Onions along with 2 Tbsp of Olive oil (sweating onions, not sauteeing)

2. Add Sage, Salt, Black Pepper and Oregano and stir for 5 minutes until the onions start to turn clear. (if adding spice, add chile flakes or peppers here)

3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add Fennel, Garlic, Capers, Mushrooms (and more olive oil) and stir for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked down by half.

4. (optional) When most of the liquid is gone and the bottom of the pan/pot has brown marks, add 1/4 cup Red Wine to deglaze. Stir around and let the wine cook down for 3 minutes.

5. Add crushed Tomato, or tomato sauce, and vegetable broth.

6. Stir, and allow to cook down for 10 minutes. Salt to taste. Continue cooking down if thicker sauce is desired.

7. Finish with a splash of red wine (optional) and olive oil