Rigatoni with Mushroom Ragu, Fresh Mozzarella, and Truffle

Ingredients

• 1 cup carrots roughly chopped
• 1 ounce the following: parmesan rind) dried
• 5 ounce mozzarella fresh
• 3 medium cloves garlic smashed
• 2 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 0.5 pound portabello mushrooms roughly chopped
• 1 pound rigatoni dry
• 2 cups tomato basil sauce 
• 1 cup onion yellow roughly chopped

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• pot
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Place dried porcini in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup and add 1 cup of hot water. Set aside to rehydrate.
3. Place portobello in bowl of food processor and pulse until no pieces larger than 1/2 inch remain, about 8 to 10 short pulses.
4. Drain porcini, reserving the mushrooms and the soaking liquid separately. Roughly chop the rehydrated porcini.
5. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering.
6. Add portobellos and porcini and cook, stirring frequently, until all of their liquid has evaporated and they start to sizzle, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.
7. Meanwhile, place carrot, onion, and garlic in bowl of food processor and pulse until no pieces larger than 1/2 inch remain, about 8 to 10 short pulses. Wipe out now-empty skillet and heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering.
8. Add carrot/onion mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until completely soft, about 5 minutes.
9. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and add the tomato sauce along with the porcini soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, making sure that the sauce doesn't completely dry out (
10. Add water as necessary while simmering). Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
11. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
12. Add the pasta to the sauce, and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to adjust consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
13. Serve immediately, topping each portion with torn mozzarella and a drizzle of truffle oil