Pasta alla Norcina

By John, 21 October, 2026
Region
Italy
Umbria
Description
Strozzapreti alla Norcina

This is a delicious autumn or winter warmer with pork sausage, Porcini mushrooms, and heavy cream. It's traditionally served with short dried pasta that holds sauce well, like strozzapreti (shown here), trecce, or rigatoni. 

Pasta alla Norcina is named for Norcia, a town near Perugia in Umbria, in central Italy. Norcia is renowned for its pork butchery. In fact, throughout Italy the word norcineria refers to master pork butchers and their shops. 

Yield
4 Servings
Preparation time
30 minutes
Cooking time
20 minutes
Total time
50 minutes
Ingredients
1 oz Dried Porcini Mushrooms
2 T Olive oil
1⁄2 Onion (chopped)
1 lb Short Dried Pasta
20 oz Fresh Italian Sausages (skinned and crumbled)
10 oz Heavy Cream
1 t Fresh-ground Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. Soften the mushrooms in a bowl under warm water for 10 minutes.
  2. Start the pasta water to boil. 
  3. Brown the chopped onion in a pan with the oil.
  4. Add the sausage to the skillet and brown well. 
  5. Chop the mushrooms finely. Add the mushrooms to the skillet.
  6. Strain the mushroom soaking water.  After a few moments, add the mushroom soaking water. 
  7. Let the sauce simmer, and when the liquid has reduced, add the cream, stir, and bring to a boil to reduce.
  8. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, drain when al dente, and add to the sauce. 
  9. Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.