Making pasta with new and old friends cannot be more fun. But, you’ve got to have delicious sauces ready to enjoy all the pasta with! I love these two ragu recipes because they are easy to make, best when made ahead and are crowd pleasers! You can easily replace the chicken stock in the Wild Mushroom Ragu with vegetable stock and it’s perfect for vegetarian friends!

It’s chilly outside this Friday and these recipes are a perfect cozy way to settle into Fall. Enjoy and happiest Fridays!

Wild Mushroom Ragu

• 1 1/2 ounce package wild mushrooms
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 8-ounce packages of cremini mushrooms,  chopped
• 4 large shallots, minced
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Crumble the dried mushrooms into a glass bowl or measuring cup and pour the boiling broth over them. Let steep for at least 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the drained liquid.

Heat a tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped button or portobello mushrooms and let sit, without stirring, for about four minutes or until they have thoroughly browned on one side. Stir and let them cook on the other side – again, without stirring – for about four minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and steeped wild mushrooms. Turn the heat to low, and cook until they are all fragrant and soft.

Slowly pour in the mushroom broth, chicken broth and white wine. Bring to a boil and cook down. Add butter and parsley to finish the sauce.

Spicy Pork Ragu, from Bon Appetit Magazine 

• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound ground pork
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup parsley in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Purée tomatoes with juices in processor; set aside. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; add sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add ground pork, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Increase heat to medium-high. Add reserved vegetable mixture to drippings in pot, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until golden, 8-10 minutes. Stir tomato paste and 1 cup water in a small bowl; add to pot. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 6-8 minutes.

Add reserved meat and tomato purée and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, adding more water as needed to keep meat nearly submerged, until meat is tender, about 4 hours. Season with salt.