Excellent vegetarian pasta sauce that doesn’t include tomatoes. An orginal Gran recipe.
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloved, minced
2 small or 1 large fennel bulbs, medium diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, medium diced
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or sour cream or yogurt, or leave out for a vegan recipe)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on heat preference
12 ounces spaghetti or other pasta, cooked
Bring a pasta pot 2/3 full of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain pasta and keep warm.
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil with the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is softened. Add fennel and cook 3-4 more minutes. Add mushrooms and red pepper, cook 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add mascarpone, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
Add the cooked pasta to the vegetables and combine. Serve with grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano.