Italian · dinner
45m
Total time
4
Servings
845
kcal
medium
Difficulty
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FAQ · Things people ask
The Northern Italian tradition — Veneto, Trentino, much of Tuscany — is cream only. Some central Italian versions add 3–4 tablespoons of passata when the wine reduces, producing a rosso boscaiola. Both are legitimate; this recipe comes down firmly on the cream-only side.
Yes, and they're good — but for sauce purposes dried porcini often outperform fresh. The concentrated flavour and the soaking liquid add a depth you can't replicate with fresh. Dried are also available year-round. If using fresh, double the quantity (about 150g) and add a splash of stock to compensate for the lost liquid.
Tagliatelle or pappardelle are the classic Northern Italian pairing — the wide egg-pasta surface clings to the cream sauce and catches every strand of sausage. Rigatoni or penne work fine if you prefer short pasta; avoid thin shapes like spaghetti, which slide off the sauce.
The sauce (without pasta) keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock — do not boil or the cream will split. Cook and add pasta fresh each time; pre-dressed pasta turns sticky.
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