Baked Penne With Mushroom Bolognese

One can always count on the unconventional when it comes to the culinary magic of The Early Show's resident chef Bobby Flay. He not only knows how to make one smile over a plate of food, he also knows how to put just the right amount of spin on the familiar to make it totally brand new.

It is a tradition during the holidays to serve meals with lamb, prime rib and turkey. Well for those who love all that meat and fowl, that's fine. But, for those who don't, all that's left are the vegetables and the salad, and after a while, even these familiar sides get a boring.
Here is Flay's answer to that boredom:

Baked Penne With Mushroom Bolognese
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 lbs assorted wild mushrooms (Portobello, crimini, shiitake, oyster), finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups homemade vegetable stock, or low sodium canned stock
3 plum tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds penne, cooked slightly under al dente
1 lb fontina cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup grated asiago cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Thirty minutes before making the sauce, place the porcini in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until golden brown and all of their liquid has evaporated. Drain the porcini mushrooms through a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Remove the mushrooms, finely chop and add them, along with their soaking liquid to the mushrooms.
3. Add the stock and tomatoes and cook until slightly thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, thyme and parsley and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Place half of the penne over the sauce and top with 2 cups of the sauce. Sprinkle half of the fontina and asiago over the sauce, repeat once more. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.