Pasta alla Norcina
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1-pound rigatoni or other tubular pasta
- 8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms, diced
- 1-pound mild Italian sausage
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves whole garlic
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1-½ cups heavy cream
- 2 cups reserved pasta water, will not need it all
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water, along with 2 tbsp. kosher salt, to boil.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat; add in the olive oil and sausage.
- Brown the sausage around 5 to 7 minutes; make room in the pan and add the mushrooms; continue to cook until they brown.
- Once the sausage and mushrooms are brown, add the onion and garlic.
- After 2 minutes, remove the garlic from the pan and discard.
- Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the onions are soft.
- Turn heat to medium-high and add the wine; cook for a minute to reduce the wine by about half.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan, with a wooden spoon, to remove all the brown bits.
- At this time, begin cooking pasta to a bit less than al dente.
- Add the cream and bring sauce to a simmer while stirring.
- Once simmering, turn the heat down to low.
- When pasta is almost al dente, add it to the sauce; mix to coat.
- Turn heat to medium; add a bit of pasta water, if needed, to loosen things up.
- Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is perfectly al dente.
- Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the Pecorino; mix well; taste test.
- Season with a good amount of black pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and salt, to taste.
- Serve with grated Pecorino.
Notes
If the pasta dries out, just add a touch of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up; mix well before serving.
Serve with extra grated Pecorino Romano cheese and nutmeg. Nutmeg can be overpowering so it's best to let the individual add more, if desired.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be re-heated on the stovetop or the microwave.