Description
Pasta alla Norcina is a classic Italian dish from the Umbria region, featuring tender pasta tossed in a creamy sauce made with mild Italian sausage, shallots, garlic, white wine, heavy cream, and Pecorino Romano cheese. This rich and comforting recipe delivers a perfect balance of flavors and textures, ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces short pasta (like penne or rigatoni)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage (preferably mild, casings removed)
- 1 small shallot (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (plus more for serving)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Freshly grated nutmeg (optional, to taste)
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Brown the sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the chopped shallot to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it has slightly reduced, intensifying the flavors.
- Add cream and cheese: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Then mix in the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and add a small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg if using.
- Toss pasta in sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat it evenly with the sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce for a silky texture.
- Season and serve: Season the pasta with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use a high-quality sausage seasoned with fennel and garlic for the best flavor.
- If you don’t have shallots, finely chopped onion is an acceptable substitute.
- Avoid over-reducing the sauce; it should remain creamy and coat the pasta generously.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
