Quarantine Kitchen: Chef Alex Sazama's recipe for Onesto's mushroom ragu

Welcome to Quarantine Kitchen, a cooking show focused on tips and easy recipes you can execute in your home kitchen using basic ingredients and pantry staples. [View past episodes and recipes here]

On Friday, July 31 at 1 p.m. we filmed a live episode of the show with Alex Sazama, vice president of food and beverage at Hospitality Democracy.

During the show, Sazama showed us how to make one of the most popular dishes from Onesto: mushroom ragu with housemade gnocchi.

In case you missed it, you can watch it now. We've also included the recipe below.

Onesto’s At-Home Mushroom Ragu

Created by: Chef Alex Sazama

Step 1:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup carrot, diced
½ cup celery, diced

Using a large stock pot over medium high heat add olive oil, carrots, celery and onions and sauté until softened (about 5 minutes). Transfer the veggies to a bowl.

Step 2:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
8 oz shiitake mushrooms
8 oz oyster mushrooms
8 oz cremini mushrooms
½ T kosher salt
1 tsp pepper

Using the same stock pot, add oliv oil and mushrooms and sauté over medium high heat until all the mushrooms are browned. Season with salt and pepper and add to the bowl with the carrots, celery and onions.

Step 3:
2 T tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 cup vegetable stock
½ cup San Marzano tomatoes
½ tsp fennel seed
1 bay leaf
½ T thyme
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Add tomato paste to the stock pot and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stir often to avoid burning. Add red wine and stock and whisk vigorously. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, red pepper flakes, cooked onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Bring the mixture up to a boil and lower the heat to medium low and reduce for 25-35 minutes.

Step 4:
½ T kosher salt
2 T butter
Once sauce is reduced, mix in salt and butter, allow to melt and set aside to cool.

Potato gnocchi

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Step 1:
4 russet potatoes

Wash potatoes really well and dry them. Using a fork, prick the potatoes on all sides. Place potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour. 

Once the potatoes are baked place them on a cutting board and cut them in half. Scoop out the inside into a mixing bowl. Using a large metal spoon smash the potatoes along the side of the bowl until they are smooth and set aside to cool. (You may use a ricer, if you have one).

Step 2:
2 ¼ cups mashed potato (from step 1)
1 egg
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp peppr
2 tsp parmesan cheese
1 cup + 2 T all purpose flour

Using a large mixing bowl, add mashed potato, eggs, salt pepper and parmesan. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated into the potatoes and are evenly distributed. Add flour to the mixture and mix until the flour is incorporated.

Transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough until consistent. Cut the dough into sections and begin to roll out logs/ropes that are about 1-inch in diameter each. Using a sharp knife, cut each log into bite-size pieces.

To cook, bring a large pot of salted water o a boil and cook gnocchi until tender.

Buon Appetito!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out our recent shows with TrueMan McGee of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls and Chef Deborah of Expressively Your Personal Chef Service.