Pasta with Fresh and Dried Mushrooms

• 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves
• Leaves from 2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup dried porcini, optional
• 3 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (canned are fine)
• 1 pound penne or other cut pasta
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Trim and clean the mushrooms; cut the caps into slices and the stems into small chunks.
2. Combine in a medium skillet with 1 clove of the garlic, crushed and peeled, the thyme, the olive oil, and some salt and pepper.
3. Cook over sufficiently low heat so the mixture bubbles but the mushrooms do not brown.
4. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are quite shrunken in size and appear firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the skillet.
6. (At this point you can pause for several hours before resuming cooking.)
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and add salt.
8. If youre using the porcini, soak them in hot water to cover for a few minutes so they soften, then drain, trim, and slice.
9. Mince the remaining garlic.
10. Turn the heat under the oil to medium and add the garlic, portobellos, and drained porcini.
11. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to color, about 5 minutes; add the tomato and raise the heat to medium-high.
12. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato breaks up and becomes saucy, about 15 minutes.
13. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender but not mushy.
14. Taste the sauce and adjust its seasoning.
15. When the pasta is done, drain it, toss with the sauce, top with Parmesan, and serve.

portobello mushrooms, garlic, thyme, extra virgin olive oil, salt, porcini, tomatoes, penne, parmesan cheese

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pasta-with-fresh-and-dried-mushrooms-385924 (may not work)