Cavatelli con Salsiccia e Funghi Porcini - Cavatelli with Italian Sausage and Porcini Mushrooms
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Region: Molise, Italy
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Story of the Dish
Although Molise is Italy's second-smallest region, its cuisine is among the country's most authentic. Nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic coast, Molise is known for handmade pasta, exceptional pork products, wild mushrooms, and sheep's milk cheeses.
One of the region's signature dishes is Cavatelli con Salsiccia e Funghi Porcini. Cavatelli are small handmade pasta shells prepared with only durum wheat semolina and water, giving them a pleasantly firm texture that perfectly captures rich sauces.
During autumn, local families gather wild porcini mushrooms from the forests surrounding the Matese Mountains. Combined with traditional Italian sausage, white wine, garlic, parsley, and aged Pecorino, they create a rustic yet elegant pasta that celebrates the region's agricultural heritage.
Today this classic is often elevated by Michelin-starred chefs through refined presentation while preserving the honest flavors that have made it a Molisan favorite for generations.
Ingredients
Pasta
1 lb fresh handmade cavatelli
Sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
12 oz Italian sausage, casing removed
12 oz fresh porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup pasta cooking water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Finish
¾ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Fresh Italian parsley
Micro herbs
Premium Molise extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Step 1 – Brown the Sausage
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Add the sausage.
Cook over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized.
Break it into small pieces.
Step 2 – Cook the Mushrooms
Add:
garlic
porcini mushrooms
Cook for 5–6 minutes until lightly golden.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Step 3 – Deglaze
Pour in the white wine.
Reduce by half.
Step 4 – Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the cavatelli until al dente.
Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
Drain.
Step 5 – Finish the Pasta
Transfer the cavatelli directly into the sauce.
Add:
reserved pasta water
butter
Toss continuously until the sauce becomes silky.
Remove from the heat.
Fold in the grated Pecorino.
Step 6 – Plate
Twirl the cavatelli into a compact nest in the center of a warm bowl.
Arrange several slices of porcini on top.
Finish with:
grated Pecorino
chopped parsley
micro herbs
cracked black pepper
a drizzle of premium Molise extra virgin olive oil
Chef's Tips
Fresh porcini provide the best aroma, but high-quality dried porcini may be rehydrated if unavailable.
Brown the sausage well to develop deep flavor.
Finish the pasta in the pan with pasta water for a perfect emulsion.
Add the Pecorino off the heat to keep the sauce smooth.
Homemade cavatelli create the most authentic texture.
Wine Pairing
Best Choice: Tintilia del Molise DOC
Excellent alternatives:
Biferno Rosso DOC
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Aglianico del Vulture DOCG
Sangiovese Superiore DOC
Chef Gianluca's Final Advice
For a Michelin-star presentation, build a tall nest of cavatelli in the center of a large matte white bowl. Arrange perfectly sautéed porcini slices vertically to create height, allowing the caramelized sausage to remain partially visible beneath the pasta. Finish with a delicate snowfall of finely grated Pecorino, micro parsley, tiny edible flowers, a few drops of vibrant parsley oil, and a light dusting of porcini powder. Complete the dish with a drizzle of premium Molise extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. The final presentation should be elegant, modern, and worthy of a Michelin-starred tasting menu.
— Chef Gianluca
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