With creamy pasta, sausage, cheese and shaved truffle, this pasta alla Norcina is a rich and decadent meal perfect for weeknights.
I've been on a pasta kick lately - from spaghetti alla Nerano to spicy rigatoni to pasta alla sorrentina to penne al baffo to pasta alla zozzona.
There are so many traditional Italian pasta dishes that us Americans just aren't familiar with. Yes we love spaghetti and meatballs and fettuccini alfredo, but at the end of the day, Italian dishes are simple but loaded with flavor.
And this pasta alla Norcina uses some straightforward ingredients like sausage, cream and cheese that is put over the top with some shaved truffle.
Why This Recipe Works
Simple - as with most traditional Italian pasta dishes, you use a minimal amount of ingredients that generate a ton of flavor. It might be just 9 ingredients, but you wouldn't know it.
Quick to prepare - you can have this dish from start to the dinner table in under 30 minutes.
Flavorful - you get pops of saltiness and fennel from the sausage, creaminess from the cream and some earthiness from the truffle.
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Ingredient Notes
- Pasta - penne pairs great with this rich sauce because its ridges can easily capture it.
- Sausage - mild Italian sausage adds some fennel and garlic flavors. Fennel isn't traditional but I like the added flavor.
- Shallots - adds a slightly sweet flavor to the sauce.
- Wine - dry white wine gives the sauce some needed acidity.
- Heavy cream - by mixing with the hot pasta water, it forms a creamy, rich sauce.
- Pecorino Romano - adds a strong, tangy flavor to the sauce.
- Black truffle - adds an earthy flavor to the pasta.
Ingredient Swaps
While this pasta alla Norcina is pretty perfect, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- Penne is the best option, but ziti, paccheri or rigatoni work well.
- While I like mild Italian sausage for its flavor and easiness to find, if you want some heat, use spicy Italian sausage or any sausage without fennel.
- Shallots are my go-to here , but sweet, white, yellow or red onions will work as well. They all high slightly different flavors.
- Pecorino Romano is what is traditional, but Parmesan is a good substitute.
- If you can't find a black truffle, you can replace with 1-2 teaspoon truffle oil.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Cook the sausage over medium heat with oil until browned before adding the shallots and garlic, cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any brown bits.
Add the cream and nutmeg, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the pasta, cheese, black truffle and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water, tossing to combine.
FAQs
It actually hails from the city of Norcia in Italy, which is known for pork. While traditionally just made with pork, white wine and nutmeg, this recipe uses Italian sausage as a shortcut and adds in the other ingredients.
If you can find sausage with just garlic, all the better.
Grocery stores like Whole Foods or even Amazon carries black truffle. However if you can't find it, you can replace with 1-2 teaspoon of truffle oil which is easier to find.
You can also 8 oz of mushrooms and cook with the sausage, which adds a similar flavor. Or you can just leave completely out.
It will last about 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
My preferred method is placing the leftover pasta in a skillet with a splash of water. Cook on medium-low until heated through.
You can also microwave. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with a splash of water and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute or until heated through.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the pasta alla Norcina turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to cook the sauce.
- Spoon - you want a good wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Cheese grater - I mentioned multiple time but use a cheese block and grate yourself.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Make sure the water you are cooking the pasta in is salted as some of the flavor comes from it.
- DO NOT overcook the pasta when boiling. You want it just al dente or slightly under. It continues to cook with the sauce.
- Use quality dry white wine to deglaze the pan. You want a wine you’d be willing to drink as it adds flavor and acidity to the sauce.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. You want if finely grated so it melts well. Pre-shredded has added ingredients that will just make it clump up.
- The truffle can be omitted if you prefer. I like it as it adds some extra richness to the dish. You can replace with truffle oil or mushrooms.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you’ve tried this pasta alla Norcina recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pasta alla Norcina
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb mild Italian sausages, casing removed
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- pinch of nutmeg
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1-2 black truffles, shaved
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Save ½ cup of pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat and add the sausage, breaking up and cooking for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Add the shallots, cooking for 1-2 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for another 30 seconds.
- Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits and cooking for a minute. Add the cream and nutmeg, cooking for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Add the pasta, cheese and a few shavings of black truffle to the sauce as well as ¼ cup of reserved pasta water, tossing to combine. Add more pasta water and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with more grated cheese and shave truffles if desired.
Notes
- Make sure the water you are cooking the pasta in is salted as some of the flavor comes from it.
- DO NOT overcook the pasta when boiling. You want it just al dente or slightly under. It continues to cook with the sauce.
- Use quality dry white wine to deglaze the pan. You want a wine you’d be willing to drink as it adds flavor and acidity to the sauce.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. You want if finely grated so it melts well. Pre-shredded has added ingredients that will just make it clump up.
- The truffle can be omitted if you prefer. I like it as it adds some extra richness to the dish. You can replace with truffle oil or mushrooms.
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