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Pasta alla Norcina (Italian Sausage Pasta with Truffle Oil)
Pasta alla Norcina is a classic Italian pasta dish from Umbria, made with sausage, sheep’s milk ricotta, and Pecorino cheese. Creamy, rich, and deeply aromatic, it’s finished with a touch of truffle oil for an elegant and unmistakable flavor.
Ingredients
- 350 g penne rigate - 12 oz
- 300 g mild pork sausage - about 10 oz
- 200 g sheep's milk ricotta or well-drained whole milk ricotta - about 7 oz
- 1 small onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 50 g grated aged Pecorino Romano cheese - ½ cup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- truffle oil - to taste (I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon, then adjust). For a more intense truffle aroma, you can also add a few black truffle slices in oil just before serving.
- salt - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Peel the onion and finely chopping it on a cutting board.
- Lightly score it with a knife, remove the casing, then break the meat into coarse pieces using your hands.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and the whole garlic clove, then sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the sausage to the skillet and cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, stirring often, until it’s nicely browned.
- Remove the garlic clove from the pan and turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta, then salt it once it starts boiling. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water until al dente.
- Add the ricotta to the skillet with the sausage mixture and a ladleful of pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce.
- Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it directly to the pan (a slotted spoon works best). Turn the heat to high and toss everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is well coated.
- Finish by adding the grated pecorino cheese, the truffle oil, the ground black pepper and salt to taste. Stir and toss until creamy and well combined, then serve Pasta alla Norcina right away, hot and steaming.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 762kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 33gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 676mgPotassium: 488mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 331IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 269mgIron: 2mg
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