A few weeks ago we took a day trip to Umbria and, with the help of local friends, decided to have lunch at a farmhouse in Norcia where, of course, I ordered a plate of pasta alla norcina.
I liked it so much that a few days later I wanted to make it at home and, I must say, with excellent results, so I feel like sharing this recipe with you.
The preparation of pasta alla norcina is quite simple and quick but for a good result, it requires the use of typical products such as the Norcia sausage, with a particularly spicy flavor and good sheep ricotta.
Around the web, you may also find other versions of this recipe, some of which include the use of cream instead of ricotta, others with the addition of truffle, another typical Umbrian product, for an even more decisive flavor.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 11 oz pasta (short and ridged)
- 3 sausages (from Norcia)
- Half onion
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 7 oz sheep ricotta
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino)
- to taste black pepper (ground)
Tools
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Slotted spoon
Steps
As I mentioned, the preparation of pasta alla norcina is very quick, with the sauce ready while the pasta is cooking, so first of all, bring water to a boil in a tall pot.
Meanwhile, finely chop half an onion and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil without letting it brown too much. Then add the crumbled sausage from which you have removed the casing.
Once the sausage is well browned, deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
At this point, turn off the heat, add the ricotta to the pan, and mix it by adding a little pasta cooking water to get a nice smooth cream.
When the pasta has reached the right cooking point (al dente), using a slotted spoon, transfer it to the pan, turn the heat back on, and toss the pasta in the sauce, cooking it to completion (if necessary, add a little more cooking water).
Finally, with the heat off, add the grated cheese and a sprinkle of ground black pepper.
Accompany your pasta alla norcina with a good glass of red wine and, if possible, enjoy it in good company as I did 😉.
