Norcia-Style Sausage Pasta (Pasta alla Norcina)

How to make pasta alla Norcina

Step-by-step overview

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (about 2 tablespoons kosher salt for a big pot).
2. Dice 1 small onion and remove the skin from 3 garlic cloves. Clean and roughly chop 8 ounces of mushrooms (baby Bella or any fresh variety). Dried reconstituted mushrooms also work if fresh aren’t available.
3. Heat a large stainless steel or heavy pan over medium. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then the bulk mild Italian sausage. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is nearly cooked (about 5–7 minutes).
4. Push the sausage to one side and add the mushrooms in a single layer so they can sear and release moisture. If your pan is small, sear sausage first, remove it, then cook mushrooms and onions before combining everything back together.
5. When the mushrooms have released their water and started to brown (about 5 minutes), combine them with the sausage and make space for the onions and garlic. Add a little more oil if needed and sauté the onions and garlic until soft (3–5 minutes). When the garlic turns golden, remove and discard it to avoid a bitter bite.
6. Turn the heat to medium-high, add 1/2 cup dry white wine, and cook until the alcohol evaporates and the liquid reduces by about half (60–90 seconds). Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits—this builds flavor.
7. At this point, start cooking 1 pound of tubular pasta (rigatoni, penne, or mezzi paccheri) in the boiling salted water. The pasta should go into the sauce a little short of al dente.
8. Add 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to the pan and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Let it thicken slightly for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
9. When the pasta is almost al dente, transfer it to the sauce and turn the heat up to medium. Add about 1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta water and stir to combine. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the pasta reaches perfect al dente and the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano until incorporated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more reserved pasta water to loosen. Season with plenty of cracked black pepper, salt to taste, and a small pinch of nutmeg—nutmeg is potent, so use it sparingly and offer extra at the table.
11. Serve immediately with more grated Pecorino Romano and a final crack of black pepper. Enjoy.

Top tips for an amazing Norcina sauce

• Be conservative with nutmeg. A tiny pinch goes a long way. Add a little while cooking and leave extra at the table for guests who want more.
• Always reserve pasta water. The starchy water helps emulsify and loosen the sauce to a luxurious consistency. Keep some aside and add as needed.
• Substitute thoughtfully. Authentic Norcia sausage and truffles aren’t always available—use what you can find. Remove casing from sausage links if necessary, and swap Pecorino Romano for Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano if needed.
• Choose a sturdy tubular pasta. Rigatoni, penne, tortiglioni, or mezzi paccheri pair well with this meaty cream sauce because they hold sauce in their ridges and tubes.