Food and Wine Books’ cookbook simply titled PASTA, first published in 1994, is a wonderful compilation of some really winning pasta recipes. It is a collection of 160 original recipes including authentic Italian dishes, Asian specialties, all-American favorites, and others.
This recipe for Rigatoni In Woodsman’s Sauce is one I’ve looked at over the years, but never actually made until tonight. And I’m sorry I waited so long. It takes its name from the presumption that woodsmen found wild mushrooms in the forest, and a mixture of them is a delicious addition to this creamy tomato sauce. Choose any of your favorites, but white mushrooms are delicious as well.
In the time it takes to bring your water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente you can prepare the sauce.
Rigatoni in Woodsmen’s Sauce
(serves 4)
¼ pound mild Italian sausage (I used Italian chicken sausage and about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
¼ pound wild or white mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup canned tomatoes with their juices, chopped (a little more won’t hurt)
6 tablespoons ricotta cheese
¾ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas (I omitted this cause I didn’t have any)
¾ cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound rigatoni
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used Pecorino Romano)
1. Remove sausage from its casing. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to moderate, add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add the mushrooms and butter and cook 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the ricotta and mix well. Stir in the peas and the half-and-half, salt and pepper, and simmer 5 minutes longer.
4. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain. Return the pasta to the hot pot. Add the sauce to the pasta, and mix well over low heat. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons ricotta and the Parmesan. (I mistakenly added all the ricotta earlier in the recipe…no harm done. In fact, I think I prefer it so all the ricotta is blended into the sauce completely).
(serves 4)