Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh or dried egg tagliatelle

• 10 oz brown (cremini) mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 3 Italian sausages (sweet or hot), casings removed

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 4 tablespoons of butter

• 5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons of water

• Splash of dry white wine (optional)

• 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Salt, to taste

• 1 tbsp sea salt (for the pasta water)

• Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

Instructions

• Prepare the mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or brush and slice them thinly.

• Prepare the sausage. Cut a slit along each sausage and remove the casing. Place the sausage meat on a plate and break it into small pieces with a fork.

• Start the sauce. In a large sauté pan, combine the olive oil, crushed garlic, and 3 tablespoons of water. Place over medium heat.

• Cook the mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add the sausage. Stir in the sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks. Add a splash of white wine and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Finish the sauce. Add the butter and chopped parsley. Stir until the butter melts and coats the mushrooms and sausage. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

• Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the sea salt and then the tagliatelle. Cook until al dente according to the package directions.

• Reserve pasta water. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

• Combine. Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan with the sauce. Toss well with tongs. If the sauce seems dry, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it lightly coats the pasta.

• Serve. Remove from the heat and toss with a generous amount of freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Serve immediately, topped with additional Pecorino.

Chef's Tips

• Brown the sausage well before adding the butter for deeper flavor.

• Avoid overcooking the mushrooms; they should remain tender and slightly meaty.

This dish pairs wonderfully with a crisp Italian white wine such as Pinot Grigio along with a crusty Italian bread.