Penne alla Norcina
Pasta with sausage & truffle cream
Ingredients
- 200 g Penne
- 250 g Italian sausage
- ½ Onion
- 120 ml Heavy cream
- 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- 80 ml White wine (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Finely dice the onion and squeeze the sausage from its casing.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat and brown the crumbled sausage until well coloured, then add the onion and cook until softened.
- Pour in the wine to deglaze and let it cook off, then stir in the cream.
- Cook the penne in the boiling water one minute shy of al dente (firm to the bite).
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the penne in the sauce with the parmesan and a splash of pasta water until glossy.
- Plate and crack over the black pepper.
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About Penne alla Norcina
Penne alla Norcina is a rich sausage and cream pasta from Umbria, named for Norcia, the central Italian town famous for its pork butchery and prized black truffles. In its home region it's often finished with shaved truffle, but at its core it's a comforting dish of crumbled Italian sausage and cream clinging to ridged penne. The sausage is browned hard until deeply colored, white wine deglazes the pan to lift all that fond, and cream ties it into a sauce whose ridges of penne are perfectly suited to catch — savory, meaty, and luxurious without needing a long list of ingredients.
This version keeps to the essentials and lets technique carry it. Squeezing the sausage from its casing and browning it well builds the deep savory base, the wine adds brightness that cuts the cream's richness, and finishing the pasta in the sauce with grated Parmigiano and a splash of starchy pasta water is what makes it glossy and cohesive rather than heavy or split. Cooking the penne just shy of al dente so it finishes in the sauce is the standard Italian move that binds pasta and sauce together. Ready in under half an hour, it's a satisfying weeknight plate that still feels like a special-occasion dish, best served straight away with a good crack of black pepper.
Penne alla Norcina: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Penne alla Norcina?
A serving has about 1144 calories — 40.9g protein, 85.5g carbs, 66.4g fat, 3.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 40.9g of protein, roughly 14% of its calories.
Is Penne alla Norcina gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Penne. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Penne alla Norcina dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Penne alla Norcina?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out white wine — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Penne alla Norcina make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.