Description
Discover the rustic charm of Pasta alla Norcina, a classic Umbrian dish that combines orecchiette with Italian sausage, cremini mushrooms, and a creamy sauce with Pecorino. Learn the origins, traditional ingredients, and step-by-step recipe for a taste of Italy’s heartland. Perfect for food enthusiasts craving authentic Italian food.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces orecchiette
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces Italian sausage (any kind you like)
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps sliced about 1/4-inch thick
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced rosemary
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano (use a Microplane if possible)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, liberally season with kosher salt and drop the pasta in, cooking according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of water water before draining the pasta.
- While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the Italian sausage and cook, without stirring, until the bottom is browned, about 3–4 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the sausage is well-browned all over and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and fond in the bottom of the pan. If the sausage didn’t give off much fat and the skillet looks a little dry, you can add another tablespoon of olive oil. Return the pan to medium heat; once hot, add the shallots and a sprinkle of salt, stirring to combine. Let the shallot cook for 2–3 minutes before adding the sliced mushrooms with an additional pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and have given off most of their liquid, 6–9 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping to pull up the fond on the pan (if there’s any left). Cook until completely evaporated, about 1–2 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pan along with the cream and nutmeg. Let the cream reduce for 4–5 minutes, until thickened. Reduce the heat to low, and add the Pecorino Romano and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water, stirring to make a glossy sauce and melt the cheese.
- Add the drained pasta, tossing to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is thick or has tightened up, continue adding the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until your desired sauce consistency has been reached. You may need to add up to 3/4 cup of pasta water total. The final sauce consistency should be glossy and coat the noodles but still be saucy.
- Remove from the heat and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over top, stirring to combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste. Sprinkle with the minced parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
- Category: Pasta & Noodles, Italian