Nutrient-rich mushrooms are an important staple during the fall and winter months. So try DELi’s velvety pumpkin and mushroom ragout for a deliciously comforting meal, for example with fresh pasta, during the week.
What is the difference between ragu and ragout anyway?
Both are robust and aromatic. Both are pure soul warmers on stormy autumn days and cold winter evenings. But the similarities end there.
Ragù is an Italian meat-based pasta sauce with a little tomato and/or tomato paste. An example would be the Bolognese.
Ragout , on the other hand, is a thick and hearty French stew based on meat or vegetables. This stew is cooked slowly and for a long time until the flavors are distributed. It’s not strictly a sauce, but is often served over noodles or pasta.
Our Velvety Pumpkin Mushroom Ragout recipe falls somewhere in between, and I’ve changed the title of this post more than once because I just couldn’t decide what to call this dish.
The mushrooms are a supremely flavorful meat alternative and there’s a touch of tomato, made from sun-dried tomatoes, for added depth and texture (direction – Ragu). That said, the French ragu is a bit more inclusive in terms of meat or meat-free, and the last thing I want to do is piss off the Italian authenticity police (which, and yet, is now pushing towards ragu). Although we now refer to it as a pasta sauce rather than a stew (a benefit for ragu), there’s no denying that it can also be used very well for risotto, potatoes or other side dishes (balance ragout).
Whether we call it a mushroom and squash ragout served with pasta or a meatless vegan ragu made from wild forest mushrooms, “the lack of meat isn’t the lack of flavor”. One could almost say that the umami naturally occurring in mushrooms makes this ragout/ragu almost over-aromatic, if such a thing exists. 🙂
if you like our velvety pumpkin and mushroom ragout, you might also be interested in these recipes:
- Mediterranean chickpea salad
- Oriental pasta with halloumi
- Pizza the pasta sfoglia
- Tortelloni with truffle filling on burrata cream
- Ayurvedic Chickpea Zucchini Curry
velvety pumpkin and mushroom ragout with pasta & co.
Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 400 G Hokkaido pumpkin
- 800 G mixed mushrooms e.g. B. Porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms
- 4-6 Sun-dried tomatoes*
- 2 tbsp. native olive oil*
- 150 ml White wine*
- 200 G Creme fraiche Cheese
- 1 prize sugar
- 1 kosher salt*
- 1 Pepper* from the mill
- 1 small bunch parsley
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic.
- Wash and finely dice the pumpkin.
- Clean and coarsely dice the mushrooms.
- Cut sun-dried tomatoes into strips or pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the pumpkin cubes in it for about 5 minutes and remove again.
- Fry the mushrooms over high heat for about 3 minutes .
- Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin again. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
- Add the wine and crème fraîche, reduce over a low heat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Rinse the parsley, shake dry and chop.
- Serve the pumpkin and mushroom ragout with pasta of your choice and parsley.
