Ingredients

• 250g organic whole wheat semolina penne
• 30g organic dried mushrooms (porcini or a mix)
• 1 cup warm water (for soaking the mushrooms)
• 1 cup organic tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup organic capers, fresh or in brine, drained
• 1 small organic onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves organic garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp organic hot chili flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Fresh organic basil or thyme, for garnish

Preparation

1. Soak the dried mushrooms:
   Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl with warm water and let them soak for 20 minutes until they soften. Drain them, keeping the liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and strain their liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove any sand

Instructions

1. Cook the penne:
   Cook the penne in salted water according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

2. Sauté the mushrooms:
   In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until softened. Then, add the soaked mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

3. Prepare the sauce:
   Pour the tomato sauce into the pan along with 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Add the chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

4. Combine:
   Add the penne to the sauce and, if needed, add some of the reserved pasta water. Stir well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.

5. Add the capers:
   Stir in the capers at the end, mixing gently to preserve their texture and freshness.

6. Serve:
   Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil or thyme and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.