Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Marsala, Mascarpone and Parmesan

Savory Italian sausage infused with fennel is sautéed together with earthy cremini and shiitake mushrooms and nutty caramelized onions. Sweet marsala wine is used as a deglaze and along with mascarpone and Parmesan cheese a silky and flavorful sauce is created. Toss with rigatoni and top with diced chives and fresh grated Parmesan.

This takes me back to my youth when pizza toppings were simple and my favorites were sausage and mushroom. (On one half of the pie. The other side would be anchovy and green olive -- but that's a different post.) I was that little kid who liked mushrooms and have never stopped -- going so far as to take coursework and learning how to cultivate them!

Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Marsala, Mascarpone and Parmesan comes together in less than a half hour and can easily be elevated by using a mixture of mushrooms such as maitake, shiitake, portobello, and chanterelle -- or even those scrumptious prized morels that we hunt for in my neck of the woods. Top it with a shaving of black truffle. Oh yes.

Ingredients

• rigatoni pasta
• sweet Italian sausage
• olive oil
• yellow onion
• butter
• mixed mushrooms (such as shiitake, cremini and button)
• garlic
• dried thyme
• red pepper flakes
• marsala wine
• chicken stock
• mascarpone cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• chives

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (tender yet firm to the bite), or according to the package direction. Reserve one cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté sausage.

Saute until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Drain fat from skillet.

To the same skillet, add olive oil. Sauté onions over medium heat until softened and translucent. 

Add butter and mushrooms and sauté until onions are starting to caramelize and mushrooms are starting to brown.

Add minced garlic, thyme and pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant.

Add marsala wine and increase heat to medium-high cooking until reduced by half, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken stock and cook until reduced by half. 

Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until melted and creamy. 

Stir in reserved sausage. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water in ¼ cup increments thinning to desired consistency.

Toss sauce with pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste and divide among bowls. Garnish with chives and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Hint: Whenever I make a pasta dish, I reserve at least a cup of the pasta water to use to thin the sauce if it is too thick. Add it in increments of ¼ cup until it's the desired consistency.

Substitutions

• Marsala wine - The best substitutes are Madeira wine or dry sherry.
• Mascarpone - The best substation in this recipe would be creme fraiche or even cream cheese.
• Mushrooms - Use a variety of mushrooms such as maitake, shiitake, portobello, chanterelle or morel
• Garnish - For a bit of rustic sophistication, shave a black truffle over the top -- or give it a drizzle of truffle oil
• Rigatoni - I like substitutes that capture the sauce well -- like hollow penne or ziti. Tartiglioni with it's twist will also work nicely

Equipment

• stock or pasta pot
• large saute pan

Storage

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze leftovers for up to 4 months.

🍽️ Recipe

Sausage and Mushroom Rigatoni with Marsala, Mascarpone and Parmesan

The Savory Tart

Savory Italian sausage infused with fennel is sautéed together with earthy mushrooms and nutty caramelized onions. Sweet marsala wine is used as a deglaze and along with mascarpone and Parmesan cheese a silky and flavorful sauce is created.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage crumbled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini and button, cleaned and sliced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup marsala wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 8 ounces mascarpone
• 4 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese, about ½ cup
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente (tender yet firm to the bite), about 8 to 10 minutes or according to the package direction. Reserve one cup of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté sausage until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Drain fat from skillet.
• To the same skillet, add olive oil. Sauté onions over medium heat until softened and translucent. Add butter and mushrooms and sauté until onions are starting to caramelize and mushrooms are starting to brown. Add minced garlic, thyme and pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant.
• Add marsala wine and increase heat to medium-high cooking until reduced by half, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken stock and cook until reduced by half.
• Remove from heat and stir in mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until melted and creamy. Stir in reserved sausage. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water in ¼ cup increments thinning to desired consistency.
• Toss sauce with pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste and divide among bowls. Garnish with chives and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Keyword #marsalapasta, #sausageandmushroom, #sausagepasta, #savoryentrees, #weeknightcooking, #weeknightpasta

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