Pasta alla Norcina is a luxurious Umbrian pasta dish whose rich, savory flavor belies the speed with which it's prepared. Italian sausage, mushrooms, and onion are sautéed until deeply flavorful, then simmered with white wine and cream to create a velvety sauce that perfectly coats Sfoglini's Whole Grain Radiators.
MAKES FOUR - SIX SERVINGS
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once it starts to shimmer, add the sausage and cook for five minutes, using a spoon to break it into small pieces and stir it while it browns. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, for approximately ten minutes. The mushrooms will release their liquid before eventually browning as the moisture cooks away.
Once the mushrooms have started to brown, add the onion and cook for another ten minutes, stirring regularly. Adjust the heat if the onions start to burn, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent scorching. When two minutes are left on the cooking time, bring the heat to medium low and add the garlic, stirring occasionally while it cooks.
Return the heat to medium and add the wine, scraping up the bits of fond from the pan while the wine simmers. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the wine has reduced slightly and no longer smells strongly of alcohol. Add the heavy cream and nutmeg. Stir it in and adjust the heat back to low once it comes to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, while you begin to cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before straining.Add the pasta to the saute pan and gently stir into the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Pecorino Romano along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes silky and emulsified. Let the sauce rest and thicken for a few minutes, then taste and season accordingly with more salt. If needed, add additional pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Serve immediately, passing more cheese alongside.
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Chef’s Note: Dry vermouth can be substituted for white wine in this recipe.
This sauce is generally best eaten immediately, as it will dry out rather quickly. If it does need to be reheated, the best way to do that is in a skillet over low heat with a little of the reserved pasta water stirred in. Once the pasta has been fully heated through, stir in an additional splash of heavy cream.
Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Sfoglini Radiators, Quattrotini, or Cascatelli.
