"Boscaiola" is an Italian term that translates to "woodman" or "woodsy" in English. Boscaiola sauce typically consists of a base of sautéed mushrooms, often mixed with pancetta or bacon, onions, garlic, and sometimes tomatoes or cream. It's a flavourful sauce commonly served with pasta, such as penne or fettuccine.
While you can certainly buy boscaiola sauce at the supermarket, you can just as easily make it yourself with less preservatives.
How to make penne boscaiola
Ingredients
500g dried penne
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 rashers middle bacon, finely sliced
250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
2 brown onions, shaved
4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
½ bunch thyme, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
300ml thickened cream
Salt and pepper
1 cup rocket leaves, torn
¼ bunch fresh parsley, leaves only
½ cup grated parmesan
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
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Cook pasta in a large pan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well, then toss in a little of the oil to keep it moist.
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Heat a large pan on medium. Add bacon and cook for 5 minutes or until browned and beginning to crisp. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Fold in onion, garlic, and thyme, stirring well, and cook for 5 minutes or until onion has softened.
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Increase heat to high, add wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix in pasta, cook for a few minutes to thicken, then fold in rocket, parsley and cheese. Serve with lemon wedges.