Description
This hearty Bucatini with mushrooms and sausage recipe combines tender bucatini pasta with a rich, creamy mushroom sauce infused with sausage and white wine. The earthy flavors come from rehydrated porcini mushrooms simmered with garlic, chili flakes, and a splash of cream, finished off with fresh parsley and grated parmesan for the perfect comforting Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Mushrooms and Stock
- 20g dried porcini mushrooms
- 600ml boiling water
Sausage Mixture
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large sausages (Italian or Cumberland; if using Cumberland, add a pinch of fennel seeds while cooking)
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1–2 tsp chili flakes
- 125ml white wine
Pasta and Sauce
- 400g bucatini pasta
- 150ml double cream
- Grating of nutmeg
- Large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Parmesan, grated, to serve
Instructions
- Rehydrate Mushrooms: Place the dried porcini mushrooms into a large pan with 600ml boiling water. Set over low heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly, creating an intense mushroom stock.
- Cook Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Remove sausagemeat from casings and add to the pan. Fry for 5-8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Prepare Pasta: While cooking the sausage, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and stir with tongs to prevent sticking. Cook for about 9 minutes until almost al dente.
- Add Flavor to Sausage: Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes to the cooked sausage and fry for 1 minute to release aroma. Pour in white wine and cook for 5 more minutes, allowing the wine to reduce by half.
- Combine Mushrooms and Stock: Add the rehydrated porcini mushrooms and the mushroom stock (about 350ml) to the sausage mixture. Season with salt and black pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer.
- Finish Cooking Pasta in Sauce: Using tongs, transfer the bucatini directly from its cooking water into the mushroom and sausage sauce. The liquid will seem watery at first; continue to simmer and stir the pasta in the sauce for 3 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is tender.
- Final Touches: Stir in the double cream, a grating of nutmeg, and the chopped parsley. Mix well, adjust seasoning to taste, then serve immediately topped with generous grated parmesan.
Notes
- If using Cumberland sausage, adding fennel seeds enhances the flavor to complement the mushroom sauce.
- You can substitute double cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Be sure not to overcook the bucatini initially; it finishes cooking in the sauce to absorb maximum flavor.
- For a vegetarian variation, omit sausage and add a smoky flavored mushroom or plant-based sausage alternative.
- Use fresh parmesan for best flavor and melt quality.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: bucatini, mushrooms, sausage, creamy pasta, Italian recipe, porcini mushrooms, stovetop pasta, comfort food
