Description
Creamy and comforting pasta alla norcina whispers stories of rustic Italian countryside kitchens. Rich sausage and pecorino cheese dance together, creating a simple yet luxurious sauce that will transport your senses straight to Umbria’s rolling hills.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild, casings removed)
- 12 oz pasta (rigatoni, penne, or short pasta of choice)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Submerge pasta in a generously salted water bath, ensuring it reaches perfect al dente consistency. Carefully extract and preserve a cup of starchy liquid before draining.
- Render Sausage: Unleash sausage’s rich flavors by browning thoroughly in a scorching skillet, breaking it into delectable crumbles until achieving a golden, crisp exterior.
- Awaken Aromatics: Introduce finely chopped onions to the sausage-infused pan, coaxing them into translucent submission. Immediately integrate minced garlic, allowing its pungent essence to bloom.
- Deglaze and Elevate: Splash white wine into the pan, masterfully lifting caramelized remnants from the skillet’s surface. Let the liquid reduce, concentrating its sophisticated undertones.
- Create Silky Sauce: Gently fold heavy cream into the pan, complementing with whispers of nutmeg and freshly cracked black pepper. Allow the mixture to harmonize and thicken delicately.
- Final Symphony: Marry pasta with the luxurious sauce, ensuring each strand is impeccably coated. Shower with Pecorino, using reserved pasta water to orchestrate the perfect sauce consistency. Fine-tune seasoning to personal preference.
Notes
- Select high-quality Italian pork sausage with robust flavor, preferably from a local butcher for authentic taste and texture.
- Cook sausage on medium heat to develop deep caramelization without burning, ensuring even and rich flavor development.
- Simmer cream sauce gently to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, silky texture that coats pasta perfectly.
- Reserve pasta water as a secret weapon to adjust sauce thickness and help ingredients bind seamlessly, creating a harmonious final dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg