Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

Hi guys!

I am so sorry, it's been a while since I've last posted a recipe. Times have been a little busy but I'll be trying hard to make it up to you starting now! I have found a recipe for a vegetarian bolognese sauce about three weeks ago and I was very anxious to give it a try as the cook it's from, Tim Mälzer from Germany, normally would describe himself as a devoted omnivore. When he said his recipe would be as close as possible to a regular bolognese sauce without using the regular meat substitute of tofu, I started listening and tried the recipe myself two days later. For all the german readers, here's the link to the recipe: http://www.daserste.de/unterhaltung/koch-show/tim-maelzer-kocht/rezept-19012013-vegetarische-bolognese-100.html

Here's the recipe in english:

500g (1 pound) mixed mushrooms (mushrooms, shiitake or oyster mushroom)
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 large onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 twig rosmary
4 twigs thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cans crushed tomatoes (about 400g each; 14 oz)
salt
pepper
sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
400g (14 oz) spaghetti
freshly grated parmesan to serve

1) Preheat the oven to 50°C (122°F). Cut the mushrooms in really small cubes or process them in a kitchen machine until pretty fine. They should have a size similar to ground beef. Put the mushrooms on a baking tray and stick in the oven for at least 30 minutes to dry. They will turn pretty dark and their flavour will intensify.

2) Peel the carrots and cut them in very fine cubes and proceed with the celery stalks and onion the same way.   

3) When the mushrooms are done, heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and roast them for a few minutes. Add the onion and vegetables and cook at medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves. Cut the rosemary and thyme very fine and add as well. Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes along with a can's worth of water. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste being careful not to season too heavily because as the sauce cooks and reduces, the flavour intensifies. Let the sauce come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and let it bubble away for 25 minutes.

4) In the meantime, heat a large pot with water, add the spaghetti and a little salt once the water is boiling rapidly and cook according to packet directions. Drain the pasta and serve with the bolognese sauce and freshly grated parmesan.

Serves: 4 according to the original recipe, 6 if you're me
Active preparation time: about 30 minutes for the chopping part (a kitchen machine is very useful with the mushrooms!) and 15 minutes for the sauce, so 45 minutes total
Total preparation time: about 2 1/2 hours

Here's how mine turned out:

I have to say I really loved this recipe a lot. I have made it for my family and boyfriend, all of them are eating meat normally and they loved it as well. Of course, when you are used to a classic bolognese, this recipe will taste a little different, but the idea of using dried mushrooms as the meat substitute is really amazing as it even looks a little bit alike. I would certainly encourage every single one of you to try this recipe - omnivore or not. It is worth it!!

Have fun trying!!