Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Chestnut Flour, Mushrooms, Pumpkin, and Sausage
This heartwarming, rustic Italian dish brings together the earthy flavors of chestnut flour pasta, savory sausage, tender pumpkin, and wild mushrooms. The addition of fresh rosemary and a splash of white wine elevates this dish to a truly comforting experience. Here’s how you can recreate this deliciousness from scratch.
Category: Pasta Dishes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Chestnut flour | 100g |
| All-purpose flour | 200g |
| Eggs | 2 |
| Egg yolks | 2 |
| Water | 40ml |
| Sausage (preferably fresh) | 400g |
| Porcini mushrooms | 400g |
| Pumpkin | 300g |
| Fresh rosemary | 4 sprigs |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 40ml |
| White wine | 30ml |
| Salt | to taste |
| Black pepper | to taste |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pasta Dough:
- In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and chestnut flour. Create a well in the center of the flours.
- In a separate bowl, crack open the whole eggs and add the egg yolks. Whisk them together lightly with a fork.
- Gradually mix the eggs with the flour, starting from the center and slowly incorporating the flour from the edges into the eggs. Add water, a little at a time, continuing to stir until the mixture begins to form a dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands. Push and fold the dough from the outside toward the center until it becomes smooth and elastic, which should take about 10 minutes.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes to allow it to relax and be more pliable when rolling out.
2. Prepare the Filling:
- While the dough rests, prepare the ingredients for the sauce. Begin by removing the casing from the sausages. Use your hands to gently pull off the casing, then break the sausage meat into small chunks.
- Clean the porcini mushrooms. If they are relatively clean, simply brush off any dirt using a soft brush or a damp cloth. If they are very dirty, rinse them briefly under cold running water. Slice the mushrooms into thick pieces.
- Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Slice it into manageable pieces, peel off the skin, and dice the pumpkin into 2 cm cubes.
3. SautΓ© the Aromatics and Sausage:
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the whole garlic clove and let it sautΓ© until golden brown, then remove and discard the garlic.
- Add the sausage to the pan and sautΓ© until the meat starts to brown and crumble.
- Add the sliced porcini mushrooms and diced pumpkin to the pan with the sausage. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and stir in the rosemary sprigs. Cover the pan and let the mixture cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
4. Roll and Cut the Pasta:
- After the dough has rested, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin or pasta machine. Flatten the dough with your fingers to begin the process of rolling it out.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 2 mm, either by hand with a rolling pin or using a pasta machine.
- Once you have your sheet of dough, carefully transfer it onto a “chitarra” (a traditional pasta maker with strings) and press the dough through to cut it into long strands resembling spaghetti. If you don’t have a chitarra, a regular pasta cutter will work fine, though you may lose the traditional texture.
- Flour the cut pasta lightly and arrange it in nests on a drying rack or towel. Let the pasta rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
5. Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the freshly made spaghetti into the boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a small cup of the pasta cooking water.
6. Bring Everything Together:
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the sausage, mushrooms, and pumpkin sauce. If the sauce looks a bit dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to create a silky texture.
- Toss everything together gently to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
7. Serve:
- Plate the spaghetti alla chitarra, ensuring each serving gets a generous portion of sausage, mushrooms, and pumpkin. Garnish with fresh rosemary for added aroma and flavor.
Enjoy your rustic, hearty Spaghetti alla Chitarra with chestnut flour, mushrooms, pumpkin, and sausage!
Nutritional Information (Approx.)
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 22g |
| Carbohydrates | 50g |
| Fat | 20g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 7g |
| Sodium | 600mg |
This delightful dish blends the rustic charm of chestnut flour pasta with the rich, savory taste of Italian sausage, sweet pumpkin, and earthy mushrooms. Itβs perfect for a cozy dinner with family or friends. Whether you’re a pasta lover or simply seeking something new, Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Chestnut Flour is sure to impress!
