Pasta Norcina (Creamy Pasta With Sausage)
Pasta Norcina is a soulful combination of sausage, mushrooms, white wine, pecorino cheese, black pepper, a hint of nutmeg and baby spinach in a rich, aromatic, cream sauce. It’s about as cozy and comforting as pasta gets and can be ready in about 35 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- 1 Cheese grater (optional)
- 1 Large Sauté Pan (or Dutch Ovne)
- 1 Dutch oven (or Sauté Pan)
- 1 Spider
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
- 1¼ pounds cremini, white or portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1¼ cups dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 1⅓ cups heavy cream
- 1 pound pasta + salt for pasta water (See NOTE below.)
- 5 ounces baby spinach (about 1 really big handful)
- 2-4 Tbsp butter, cubed
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + more for top
- Pinch grated nutmeg (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage in olive oil, using a wooden spoon to break it into bite-sized pieces. Once the sausage has browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.1 pound Italian sausage,, 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the garlic to soften and brown lightly. Take care not to burn the garlic!2 Tbsp chopped garlic
- Then, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper to the pan and scrape up any brown bits. Spread the mushrooms out and let the mushrooms cook until almost all liquid that they release has evaporated, stirring occasionally.1¼ pounds cremini, white or portobello mushrooms,, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Pour the wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes or until most of the alcohol taste has cooked off.1¼ cups dry white wine
- Reduce the heat to medium and add heavy cream and reserved sausage to the mushrooms. Cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat.1⅓ cups heavy cream
- Meanwhile, once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta, stirring frequently. Turn the sauce back on to medium-low after the pasta has been cooking for about 5 minutes.1 pound pasta
- Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, or about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente. Be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Transfer the cooked pasta and the baby spinach to the pan and toss well, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the wonderful flavors of the sauce and the spinach to wilt. Add pasta water for additional moisture, about ½ cup at a time.5 ounces baby spinach
- Once the pasta is al dente, remove the pan from the heat. Then gently stir in the butter, pecorino cheese, a small pinch of nutmeg (if including) and a large pinch of freshly ground black pepper until well-combined.Pinch grated nutmeg, 2-4 Tbsp butter,, ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, Freshly ground black pepper
- Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with a bit more grated cheese and serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Use a pan or Dutch oven large enough to be able to spread out the mushrooms in a single layer. If the pan is overcrowded, then the mushrooms will steam instead of brown.
- Use a large pot with 5 to 6 quarts water for 1 pound of pasta. Bring the water to a boil before adding the salt. Use 1½-2 Tbsp salt.
- The pasta water is key! Add it to the sauce along with the pasta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- The butter is “mounted” on the finished pasta at the end for additional richness and silkiness. If you prefer, you can use butter in place of olive oil at the start of the recipe as well.
- If you decide to include a pinch of nutmeg, make it a small pinch. Nutmeg is a strong spice and a little goes a long way.
- If you are so inclined and fortunate to have some black truffles on hand, do shave some over this dish. Truffles are very typical of the Umbrian region in Italy that inspired this recipe. Or, a very high quality truffle oil from a trusted source can be drizzled over the pasta.
- I used a short pasta here (mezzi rigatoni), and this recipe was really designed for a short, tubular pasta that can hold up to the heavy, creamy, sausage sauce. A few other options are ziti, penne rigate and paccheri.
- Leftover norcina pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it, covered, in a small skillet over medium low heat with a little bit of water until heated through.
