Serves 6
Notes
This recipe will become a regular request from your family and guests. It is often known as boscaiola, or “of the forest,” because of the earthy mushrooms in the sauce. Definitely one of Tanya’s favorites, this dish spent many years on the menu of my restaurants. On cold winter nights in New York City, when Tanya and her teenage friends had no other place to go, I would serve them this pasta followed by hot chocolate in our private dining room. I loved seeing them so full, chatty, and happy. It is easy to assemble, flavorful, and filling.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausages, removed from casings
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 12 ounces mixed wild mushrooms (such as button, cremini, oyster, shiitake, chanterelle), thickly sliced
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Peperoncino flakes
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound penne
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, crumble in the sausages, and break them up with a wooden spoon into fine crumbles. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, and cook until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, cover, and cook until they release their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes.
Uncover, and increase the heat to reduce away any liquid left in the pot. Add the tomatoes and thyme. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of peperoncino. Cook until the tomatoes just begin to break down, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the texture becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Uncover, and increase the heat to thicken the sauce slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the penne in the boiling water until it’s al dente. When the penne is done, remove with a spider strainer directly to the sauce, and add the parsley. Toss to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding a little more pasta water if it seems dry. Remove the pot from the heat, add the ricotta and grated cheese, toss, and serve.
