Pasta with Rich and Hearty Mushroom Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 2 large ribs celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 pound button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons white or red miso paste
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice, crushed roughly by hand or with a potato masher
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 pound short, tubular pasta like penne or rigatoni, or long wide pasta like pappardelle

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the eggplant on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle it with 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enclose it loosely in the foil, set it on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until fully tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. While the eggplant is in the oven, start the sauce. Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are very soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, half of the parsley, half of the basil, and the garlic, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and add the bay leaves. Raise the heat to medium-high and let it bubble until the wine has cooked down to nearly dry, about 5 minutes; you should be able to clearly see the pan beneath the mixture. Scrape everything into a large saucepan, then clean out the skillet.
3. Pour the remaining oil into the skillet and heat it over medium-high until shimmering. Add the button mushrooms and shiitake, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the released liquid has cooked away and the mushrooms are nicely browned throughout, about 20 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and miso until combined. The pastes will leave a thin coating on the bottom of the pan, and that is fine.
4. Add the canned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet as they cook. Transfer this mixture to the saucepan with the vegetables and reduced wine. Stir in the soy sauce and almond milk.
5. Once the eggplant is done, take it out of the oven and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Cut open the skin and gently scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon. Chop the eggplant flesh into a fine puree, then add it to the saucepan. Stir the sauce together, bring it to a very gentle simmer, lower the heat as far as it will go, and cover with the lid slightly askew. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, rich, and fully developed, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. For serving, cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions. Drain it, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the mushroom sauce. Stir in the remaining chopped parsley and basil, holding back a little for garnish if you want. Cook over high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy and clings to every piece of pasta. Spoon into a serving bowl or individual bowls, finish with more extra-virgin olive oil, and serve right away.