Pasta alla Norcina

Hailing from the Umbrian town of Norcia – a place known for its excellent cured meats and pork-based charcuterie – this hearty pasta dish is a common sight on the menu of many local restaurants and trattorie dotting the area.

The ingredients for the pasta sauce are few and simple: good pork sausage, cream, and a generous dose of grated pecorino, all stirred together in a sugo in bianco – without tomato sauce – that is far more than the sum of its parts.

Some versions of this classic recipe extend the ingredient list to include grated black truffle, which abounds in Umbria. Feel free to shave some on your pasta at the end if you like it and have it to hand. I would, however, dissuade you from using truffle oil: its pungency will likely throw off the delicate flavour balance of this dish.