Main dishes

Norcina

10 min Cook
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Norcina

Pasta alla Norcina brings you straigth to the heart of Italy. Umbria, often called the “Green Heart” of the country, is a region of rolling hills, ancient medieval towns, and a culinary tradition that celebrates rustic, deeply comforting flavors. Unlike its coastal neighbors, Umbrian cuisine relies on the riches of its land and forests, turning simple, high-quality ingredients into unforgettable meals.

At the very center of this culinary heritage is Pasta alla Norcina, a classic dish originating from the town of Norcia. This recipe beautifully showcases the region’s two ultimate culinary crowns: savory cured sausage and creamy sheep’s milk ricotta.

In Umbria, norcineria (the art of pork butchery) is a craft perfected over centuries, yielding flavorful, aromatic sausages seasoned with garlic and pepper. When tossed with a rich, velvety sauce made from fresh sheep’s ricotta, the combination creates a perfect harmony of savory, earthy, and creamy notes. In this case, we have substituted the sausage with a vegan alternative and the result is as satisfying as the original.

Simple to prepare yet incredibly luxurious, this dish is an authentic taste of Umbrian tradition that brings the warmth of an Italian trattoria straight to your kitchen. Let’s get cooking!

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Norcina

Norcina

corinthian
Central Italy is rich in hearty and satisfying recipes like Norcina. Using locally-sourced ingredients like sheep ricotta and sausage, this pasta dish never fail the taste buds. Here, we have used vegan sausage for a lighter, yet equally satisfying version.
prep time
5 min
cooking time
10 min
servings
2
total time
15 minutes

Equipment

  • Pasta pot

  • Large skillet

  • Knife

  • Chopping board

Ingredients

  • 160 g fusilli (or penne)

  • 1 pinch coarse salt

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large garlic close

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 2 spiced plant-base sausages

  • 200 g sheep ricotta

  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1

Cook the pasta

Bring a pot of water to the boil over high heat. When the water starts to bubble, add the coarse salt and the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pasta package (~10 minutes). When al dente, take off the heat and drain from the water.
2

Prepare the sauce

Peel the garlic and halve it. Peel the onion and thinly slice it. Coarsely shop the sausages with the knife. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, toss in the garlic and the onion. Cook for ~5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the sausage, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a couple of minutes. Take the garlic clove out of the skillet and discard it. Add the ricotta and mix well. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta boiling water and mix again until the ricotta is creamy. Turn the heat off.
3

Compose the dish and serve

Transfer the pasta to the skillet and fold it in the sauce. Add the grated cheese and mix gently until the pasta is well coated. Transfer to the serving dish and enjoy. Buon appetito!
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