Italian sausage and porcini mushroom casserole

Italian sausage and porcini mushroom casserole
  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 15 min, simmering time 35-40 min, plus soaking

Earthy porcini mushrooms and meaty venison sausages make this soul-warming stew all the better. Casseroles are ever so versatile too. Stir through pasta, serve with polenta or pile over mash for three equally good meal options.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
471kcals
Fat
27.6g (7.5g saturated)
Protein
31g
Carbohydrates
17.2g (14.9g sugars)
Fibre
3.5g
Salt
1g
Calories
471kcals
Fat
27.6g (7.5g saturated)
Protein
31g
Carbohydrates
17.2g (14.9g sugars)
Fibre
3.5g
Salt
1g

Ingredients

  • 30g dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 good-quality venison sausages or British outdoor-reared pork sausages
  • 75g diced pancetta
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 250g portobellini or brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 125ml red wine
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500ml passata
  • 150ml beef stock
  • 75g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Handful fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped

Method

  1. Put the dried porcini in a small bowl and pour over 200ml boiling water. Put
    a saucer on top to keep them submerged and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole (with a lid) over a medium-high heat, add the sausages and brown all over. Transfer to a plate. Add the pancetta, fry quickly until the fat is golden brown, then set aside with the sausages.
  3. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds and chilli flakes to the oil left in the casserole, then fry over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
  4. Drain the mushrooms (reserving all but the last tablespoon of liquid, which might be gritty). Slice the porcini, then add to the casserole with the fresh mushrooms and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the wine to the casserole, bubble until it has mostly evaporated, then stir in the tomato purée, passata, stock, reserved mushroom liquid, sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaves, half the parsley and the sausages and pancetta. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 35-40 minutes until the sausages are done and the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves, taste and season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve with polenta, pasta or mash.

delicious. tips

  1. Chill for up to 3 days in an airtight container or food bag. Freeze in 4 small foil containers (or one large one) and cook from frozen in a medium oven for at least one hour until piping hot.

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Read what others say...

  1. Cooked this for the first time, oh my god such strong lovely flavour, the fennel gave it a special kick. Will be making it again…

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