Mushroom-Sausage Tagliatelle (Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola)
Tagliatelle alla boscaiola Say it: tah-lyah-TEL-leh ahl-lah boh-skah-YOH-lah
Tagliatelle alla boscaiola is a hearty Italian pasta dish named for the woodsman's catch: mushrooms, often porcini, cooked with sausage in a savory sauce. The tagliatelle — fresh egg ribbons — carry an earthy, meaty sauce made with white wine, a little tomato, and sometimes cream. It is especially popular in autumn, when mushrooms are abundant, and it appears on home tables and in trattorias across central and northern Italy. The result is comforting, deeply savory, and balanced by a final shower of Parmesan and parsley.
Mushroom-Sausage Tagliatelle (Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola)
Tagliatelle alla boscaiola
Pronounced tah-lyah-TEL-leh ahl-lah boh-skah-YOH-lah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Put the dried porcini in a small bowl, pour over the warm water, and soak for 20 minutes until softened. Lift the porcini out, squeeze gently, chop any large pieces, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve; reserve both.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously for the tagliatelle.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up, for 5-6 minutes until browned and no pink remains.
Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic, cremini mushrooms, and soaked porcini and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown at the edges.
Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until the sharp alcohol smell fades.
Add the tomato passata, the strained porcini liquid, the cream, 1/2 tsp salt, and the pepper. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in the boiling water according to the package directions until al dente — tender but still firm at the center. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) pasta water.
Drain the tagliatelle and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute, adding splashes of pasta water if needed, until the sauce clings to the ribbons. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley and serve at once.
Regional variants
Some cooks make a tomato-forward version with penne and a handful of peas, while others omit the cream for a drier, mushroom-forward sauce. Pancetta can replace the sausage for a less meaty sauce.
Cook's notes
- Soak the dried porcini in warm—not boiling—water so they soften without turning bitter; strain the liquid well to remove grit.
- Brown the sausage deeply before adding the mushrooms; this builds the savory base of the sauce.
- Reserve pasta water before draining—it helps the sauce cling evenly to the tagliatelle.
Serve with
A glass of Sangiovese or another medium-bodied red; a simple green salad.
Make ahead and storage
The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of water. Cook the tagliatelle fresh just before serving.
