Pasta alla Norcina – Orecchiette with Sausage Cream Sauce

If you’re tired of pasta with red sauce, try my recipe for Pasta alla Norcina. It’s a pasta dish that features a rich sausage and cream based sauce, rounded out with minced mushrooms, white wine and plenty of Pecorino Romano. You can serve this over any pasta, but I love orecchiette – little ears – as it holds the sauce with a slightly chewy texture. The best part is you can be make the sauce in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

=== 🍽🍸🥩 RECIPE ===
8 ounces (225 gr) Italian sausage meat
8 ounces (225 gr) Cremini mushrooms (can use white mushrooms)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon (1 gr) chopped rosemary
3/4 cup (177 ml) heavy cream
1 pound (454 gr) orecchiette pasta (or another short pasta)
1/2 cup (118 ml) dry white wine
3/4 cup (65 gr) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tablespoons (9 gr) minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses. Set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons (10 ml) oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage meat, breaking into pieces and brown. (Sausage should not be fully cooked) Once browned, remove to a bowl, add the heavy cream and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large pot according to the directions on the package until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) pasta water. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.

Heat the now empty skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil, mushrooms and pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add more oil if needed, and stir in the garlic and rosemary. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine while stirring up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add in the sausage and cream mixture and 3/4 cup pasta water (177 ml) to the skillet. Simmer until the sausage is fully cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the Pecorino cheese until smooth..

Add the sauce, parsley and lemon juice to the pasta and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

=== 📢 PRODUCTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE ===
Cuisinart 14 Cup Food Processor – https://geni.us/ECTl1u