Cheese Ravioli with Wild Mushroom and Marsala Sauce

WILD MUSHROOM AND MARSALA SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons pure olive oil, plus more as needed
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thickly sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry Marsala
- 1¼ cups beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use canned low-sodium broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
- 1¼ teaspoons cornstarch
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Two 13-ounce packages large cheese ravioli (24Â ravioli)
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions:
Marsala, originally a fortified wine from Sicily, is similar to sherry. Bakers use sweet Marsala to make tiramisù and other Italian-style desserts. For savory dishes, such as this one, or the ubiquitous Chicken Marsala you find on many Italian-American menus, it is better to use dry Marsala, which has a less cloying flavor. Madeira or a dry sherry is a good substitute.
- To make the mushroom sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, adding more oil as needed, until they give off their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the butter to the skillet and heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Dissolve the tomato paste in the Marsala and stir into the skillet. Increase the heat to high and boil the wine until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
- Combine the stock, cream, and rosemary in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and pour in the stock mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The sauce can be made to this point up to 2 hours ahead. Reheat before continuing.)
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the package directions, until tender. Drain well. Return to the pot, add the sauce, and stir gently.
- Spoon the ravioli into soup bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of rosemary. Serve hot, with the Parmesan on the side.