Umbria is famous for its pork products, and this indulgent pasta dish from the town of Norcia is a local speciality. Golden nuggets of fried sausage and earthy porcini mushrooms infuse the cream sauce with all their wonderful flavours, coating each piece of pasta in chef Masha Rener’s unapologetically rich recipe.
“Umbria is one of the few Italian regions without access to the coast, which makes it a little mysterious – difficult to reach yet breathtakingly beautiful. This land of saints, named the green heart of Italy for the ancient woods that cover it, is home to a slow way of life, tied to tradition,” says Masha. “This dish is typical of its regional cuisine, which will amaze you with its intense flavours.”
Born in a remote valley between Tuscany and Umbria, Masha grew up on her parents’ organic farm and restaurant, La Chiusa, where she learnt to cook. At 19, she moved to London, where she discovered Soho’s Italian deli, Lina Stores. Today, after running her own restaurant in Italy, Masha is at the helm of Lina Stores’ restaurants.
Discover everything there is to know about the food of Umbria, including its star cheeses and wines, in our full guide to the region.
Ingredients
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms
- 500g pork sausages
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10g plain flour
- 400ml single cream
- 400g dried rigatoni or other tubular pasta
- Finely grated parmesan to serve
Method
- Put the mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, split open the sausages and crumble the meat into a wide non-stick saucepan. Put over a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until golden and crisp all over.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drain the mushrooms, then chop into smaller pieces. Add them to the pan with the garlic and fry for a few minutes, then sprinkle in the flour and stir well.
- Pour in the cream, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, mixing well. Divide among bowls and finish with some parmesan.
Nutrition
- 944kcals Calories
- 50g (24g saturated) Fat
- 37g Protein
- 83g (5.6g sugars) Carbs
- 6.7g Fibre
- 1.3g Salt
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