If you’re using dried mushrooms, add them to 1 cup of boiling water and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain mushrooms and chop them. Reserve liquid for later.
In a heavy sauce pan or pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Then add onions, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic paste (mashed with a pinch of salt) and rehydrated dried shrooms (if you’re using them), fresh chopped mushrooms, and thyme. Cover pot and cook for another 3-5 minutes, shaking pot occasionally.
Uncover pot and continue to cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms have lost their liquid and all the liquid is evaporated from the pan, another five minutes maybe.
When mushrooms start to brown slightly, push them all to the sides of the pan and add tomato paste to center. Mash it into the pan and let it caramelize for a minute.
Add wine to the pot and stir to remove any stuck bits. Once wine is mostly evaporated, add 1/2 cup of mushroom stock (if possible) or water.
Continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, adding stock in small batches, until the sauce is smooth and mushrooms are soft. Add Parmesan cheese at the end along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Toss cooked rigatoni pasta in with sauce and serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.