A hearty Italian pasta dish featuring fresh cavatelli, Italian-style pork and fennel sausage, earthy oyster mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. Finished with lemon, pecorino, and a touch of chilli, this comforting meal is packed with flavour and rustic charm.
Cavatelli with Pork Sausage & Mushrooms
Prep time :
15 minutes
Cook time :
30 minutes
Serves :
4-6
Total Time :
30 minutes
Cavatelli with Pork Sausage & Mushrooms
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 4 cups flour
- 450g ricotta
- 1 large egg
- Salt
For the sauce:
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 400g Italian-style thick pork and fennel sausages, skins removed and broken into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp sage, chopped
- 125ml dry white wine
- 125ml (½ cup) chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 400g oyster mushrooms or mixed mushrooms, torn or sliced
- 50g butter
- 500g fresh cavatelli (or substitute with good-quality dried cavatelli or maccheroni)
- 100g pecorino or parmesan, finely grated
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Chilli flakes, to serve (optional)
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to serve
Method
Make Cavatelli Dough:
- Place all pasta ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a dough forms. Add a little water if dry.
- Remove, form into a ball, and rest for 10 minutes.
Shape Pasta:
- Cut off a small piece of dough, roll on a board into a rope, then use a skewer or cavatelli board to shape into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.
Sauté Sausage & Mushrooms:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage pieces and cook, stirring, until browned (4–5 minutes).
- Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden.
Aromatics & Deglaze:
- Add garlic, rosemary, and sage. Cook until fragrant (1–2 minutes).
- Pour in wine; bring to a boil and reduce until mostly evaporated.
- Add stock, simmer, and reduce until desired consistency. Season to taste.
Cook Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook cavatelli until al dente (about 6–8 minutes). Drain, reserving 100ml pasta water.
Finish & Serve:
- Add pasta to sauce with butter, lemon juice, pecorino, parsley, and chilli flakes. Toss, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen.
- Serve in warm bowls, garnished with extra olive oil and a grind of black pepper.
Chef’s Tip
Use good-quality pork fennel sausages and try a mix of mushrooms for extra depth. Homemade cavatelli provides wonderful texture, but quality dried pasta can be used in a pinch. Add lemon juice at the end for brightness, but go easy, too much will overpower the earthiness of the mushrooms.
