Pasta alla Norcina

By á-160034

Pasta with sausage and mushrooms.
I saw this on America's Test Kitchen and made it last night. I needed to adjust the amount of salt, but otherwise it's a keeper.

Ingredients

• 4 tsps water
• 1 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 8 oz ground pork
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 C heavy cream
• 1 Tb table salt
• 1 lb orecchiette (or short rigatoni)
• 1 Tb vegetable oil
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C dry white wine
• 3/4 C Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 3 Tb fresh minced parsley
• 1 Tb fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1

4 tsps water
1 1/8 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
8 oz ground pork

Spray a dinner plate (or pie pan) with vegetable oil.
In a separate small bowl dissolve salt and baking soda in water. Add pork and gently fold to combine; let stand for 10 minutes.

Add the following items to the pork mixture and smear with rubber spatula until well combined and tacky (10-15 seconds):

1 tsp minced garlic
¾ tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¾ tsp pepper

Transfer the pork mixture to the greased plate and form into a rough 6-in patty.

2 tsp vegetable oil

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork patty and cook without moving for 2 minutes (until bottom is browned). Flip patty and continue to cook until second side is well browned (center of patty will still be raw).

3/4 C heavy cream

Remove pan from heat, transfer sausage to cutting board and chop into 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Transfer sausage to bowl and add the cream. Set aside.

1 Tb table salt
1 lb orecchiette (or short rigatoni)

Cook pasta in water with 1 Tb table salt, stirring often, until al dente. When cooked, reserve
1-1/2 C cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to the pot.

1 Tb vegetable oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed
1/8 tsp kosher salt

While pasta is cooking, pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped, 10 – 12 pulses.

Return the empty skillet to medium heat. Add oil, mushrooms and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are browned (5-7 minutes).

2 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp minced fresh rosemary
½ tsp pepper

Stir in oil, garlic, rosemary and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

½ C dry white wine

Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in sausage and cream mixture and ¾ C reserved cooking water. Simmer until pork is no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes.

¾ C Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese until smooth.

3 Tb fresh minced parsley
1 Tb fresh lemon juice

Add sauce, parsley and lemon juice to pasta and toss well to coat. Before serving, adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste.