Pasta Alla Norcina

I saw this recipe made on America's Test Kitchen and it looked interesting. I didn't think of it again, until KCET Food put up the recipe a few days later. I grabbed it and threw it into this blog (as a future post). I fully intended to make it shortly after I got it, but it must have taken a few weeks until I had a moment to put this recipe together.

Note that it does take a lot of plates, bowls and pots and fry pans, but eventually you get it together and it is good. Salty though, so be warned.

I found the way that they used science to make ground pork into sausage, quite amazing. I can use that tip in other recipes, moving forward.

I did enjoy it, though it did not taste quite like I expected it to. I went a little light on the cheese, to keep the salt down a bit.

This recipe serves 2. I doubled the recipe, so I could use an entire box of pasta and make it for my family.

Pasta Alla Norcina

Kosher salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces ground pork
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 ounces cremini mushrooms (or regular mushrooms), trimmed
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup heavy cream
8 ounces (2 1/4 cups) orecchiette (or other pasta)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Grease small dinner plate with vegetable oil spray. Dissolve 3/4 teaspoon salt and baking soda in 2 teaspoons water in medium bowl. Add pork and fold gently to combine; let stand for 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to pork and stir and smear with rubber spatula until well combined and tacky, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer pork mixture to greased plate and form into rough 3-inch patty. Pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add patty and cook without moving it until bottom is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip patty and continue to cook until second side is well browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer (very center of patty will be raw). Remove pan from heat, transfer sausage to cutting board, and roughly chop into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer sausage to bowl and add cream; set aside.

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.

While pasta cooks, return now-empty skillet to medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil, mushrooms, and pinch salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon oil, remaining garlic, remaining ¼ teaspoon rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in sausage-cream mixture and 1/3 cup reserved cooking water and simmer until meat is no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in Pecorino until smooth.

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.