You will definitely enjoy this rich and creamy pasta alla norcina recipe from Umbria, Italy. It only takes 40 minutes to manufacture and just use a handful of ingredients. This pasta recipe is Italian comfort food at its best. Perfect for a family dinner, but also impressive enough to wow your guests.
History of Pasta Alla Norcina.
Pasta Alla Norcina is a typical recipe from Umbria, specifically the old town of Norcia, famous for its rich tradition of sausage and cured meat.
There are actually two versions of Pasta Alla Norcina. This one is made with Norcia sausage crumbled into a pot of oil, onion, fresh cream, truffle and pecorino romano cheese. It is a very simple recipe with few ingredients, but so flavorful and creamy that you will make it part of your regular pasta menu.
The second version of Pasta Alla Norcina is usually made with long pasta such as spaghetti or tagliatelle, which is dressed with only black truffles, garlic and anchovies, which you can also add mushrooms. I look forward to trying that version soon. But let’s talk about this one now!
Norcia is a small town with a great culinary reputation!
The Umbria region is known for its pork, buttocks, sausages and other cured meat. The best of these come from the Umbrian city of Norcia, also known as Nursia in English.
This old city has become so famous for its method of pork meat and preparation of hardened meat, that butchers over Italy are now using the term ‘norcino’ to refer to all kinds of meat preserved in ‘Norcia’ way, and the name ‘norcineria’ is used for butcher shops that specialize in preparation, curing and sale of pork products.
Norcia is also famous for black truffles. In fact, the truffles found around Norcia are heavily appreciated and considered a gastronomic gem. Every year, at the end of February or early March, there is an important Italian black truffle fair in the city.
Visitors to the fair can taste all gastronomic specialties in Umbrian Cuisine and especially those with truffles, of course. These specialties include cured meat and cheese seasoned with truffles as well as pasta dishes such as pasta alla norcina.
Ingredient list and notes
Assert: This recipe is usually cooked with short tube -shaped pasta, such as pens or rigatoni. I used Italian Maccheroni made by La Molisana, but you can also use other types of short pasta.
Italian pork sausages: Since Norcia sausages can be difficult to get by outside Italy, you are welcome to replace them with another type of sweet Italian pork sausage. I would try to find Italian sausage without fennel seeds, but with garlic if possible or rosemary. A spicy Italian sausage would change the taste of the delicious sauce.
Onion: They are finely chopped to add a subtle sweetness and depth to the sauce.
White wine: A dry white wine is preferred to improve the sauce with added taste and light acidity that balances the wealth of the cream. I like to use a sauvignon blanc.
Fresh cream: Creates the creamy, surrendering base of the sauce for which Pasta Alla Norcina is known. You can use single or heavy cream.
Black truffles (optional): They bring a luxurious depth with an earthly and rich taste that lifts the bowl.
Pecorino cheese: Spred Pecorino is added to the sauce to add wealth and torn also on top of the pasta. If Pecorino is not available, you can replace it with Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.
Extra virgin olive oil: Use an extra virgin olive oil of good quality to add the most flavor.
How to remove the pool house
In many traditional Italian sausage pasta recipes, including pasta alla norcina, the Italians remove the house from the sausages and use the richly tasted painted meat. It’s incredibly delicious and easy to do:
- Cut the house: Use a sharp knife to make a long -term cut along the sausage.
- Peel the cabinet away: From one end, use your fingers to gently peel the house away from the meat. It should easily get off.
- Break the meat up: Once you have removed the house, you can break up or crumble the sausage meat in small chunks.
Step by step instructions
1) In a large bowl, remove the cabinet from the sausages and crumble the meat. Discard the lining pipes and bring a large saucepan with water in boiling to the pasta. Peel and chop onions.
2) In a large frying pan or large frying pan, heat olive oil over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the crumbled sausage to the pan. Cook until browned and break all large pieces with a spatula or wooden spoon.
3) Add white wine with stirring constantly, and cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4) Lower the heat, covered, and let it sausage for 10 minutes in its juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5) Cover, add fresh cream and truffle shavings (if using) along with half of the cracked pecorinoost. Set for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from the heat.
6) Meanwhile, salt pasta water and bring it into boiling again. Then cook the pasta al dente according to the package’s instructions. Reserve a little boiling water before draining.
7) Add the drained al dente paste to the sausage sauce, which is mixed over low heat. If necessary, adjust the consistency with reserved starch -containing pasta water.
8) Plate your pasta alla norcina, topped with the remaining pecorino, fresh black pepper and more truffle shavings if desired. Serve immediately.
Storage and leftovers
Storage of residues: After enjoying your meal, let all remaining leftovers cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerator. Properly stored, it can last for up to 3 days.
Rebuilding: Place part of the Norcina pasta in a microwave -safe bowl and cover it. Heat on medium power for 2 minutes, then stir. Continue to heat 30-60 secondary intervals with stirring in between until the pasta is hot everywhere.
Faqs
To be honest, rather than using truffle oil, I would probably leave the treak. Although you can only try a small amount of truffle oil or maybe some truffle paste. However, even in Umbria, this dish is often served without truffles when they are not available or out of the season. I used frozen truffles as I am lucky enough to buy truffles from the area I live in and often freeze them for later use!
The dish is named after Norcia, a small town in Umbria, famous for its sausages and hams made of wild boar and pork.
You can enjoy the same white wine used in the recipe. A medium -sized or filled dry white wine, such as an Italian Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc, will really complement the rich taste of the creamy sauce.
More recipes you might like:
If you are interested in more delicious recipes like this one, look at my favorite Italian sausage pasta recipes.
If you make this pasta norcina recipe, I would love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. Leave a comment here on the blog or on Pasta Project Facebook page. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Buon Appetito!
How to make pasta alla norcina (sausage pasta recipe)
This sausage and cream paste recipe from Umbria is a very simple to manufacture and has very few ingredients, but it is so flavorful and creamy that you will make it part of your regular pasta menu.
Ingredients
- 14 oz Pens or other card pasta
- 2-3 Italian pork sausages
- 1 onion white or yellow
- 1-2 Black truffles I used 2 small (optional)
- 7 fl oz Fresh cream single or heavy cream
- 2.5 fl oz White wine
- 2 oz Pecorino cheese Freshly grated
- 3-4 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- salt to pasta and taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large bowl, remove the cabinet from the sausages and crumble the meat. Discard the lining pipes and bring a large saucepan with water in boiling to the pasta. Peel and chop onions.
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In a large frying pan or frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add the crumbled sausage to the pan. Cook until browned and break all large pieces with a spatula.
-
Add white wine with stirring constantly, and cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
-
Lower the heat, covered, and let it sausage for 10 minutes in its juice. Season with salt and pepper.
-
Cover, add fresh cream and truffle shavings (if you use) along with half of the cracked pecorinoost. Set for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from the heat.
-
Meanwhile, salt pasta water and bring it into boiling again. Then cook the pasta al dente according to the package’s instructions. Reserve a little boiling water before draining.
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Add the drained pasta to the sausage sausage, mixing low heat. If necessary, adjust the consistency with reserved pasta water.
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Plate the pasta, topped with the remaining pecorino, fresh black pepper and more truffle shavings if desired.
Prevent your screen from getting dark
Notes
The original recipe is made with Norcia sausage, but a good sweet Italian pork sausage would also work well. I would try to find sausage without fennel seeds, but with garlic if possible or rosemary.
Black truffles are often added when they are in the season, but this dish is often made without. Truffle oil is not a good replacement in this recipe as it can stifle the other flavors. But you can try a little or some truffle paste.
To make this recipe gluten -freeUse a gluten -free pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 894KcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 27gFat: 51gSaturated fat: 22gPoetOgeraturated fat: 5gEnhOsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 583mgPotassium: 475mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 792IuVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 205mgIron: 2mg
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If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my store page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats to learn how to make pasta from Italians! Plus While you are there, why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipe cookbooks or the box some recommended pasta making tools?