Baked Paccheri Pasta
Sausage and Mushrooms
Elevate your weeknight dinner with this elegant baked Paccheri pasta, featuring large, hollow tubes stuffed with a creamy, savory blend of sausage and white mushrooms.
This baked Paccheri dish is a beautiful demonstration of how simple, rustic Italian ingredients can be transformed into a sophisticated meal. The Paccheri tubes are the perfect vessel for holding a hearty, umami-rich filling of browned sausage and sautéed mushrooms, while a creamy béchamel sauce adds a luxurious touch. Baking it until the top is golden and bubbling creates a comforting, fragrant crust that contrasts perfectly with the tender pasta.
Ingredients
- 400 g Paccheri pasta
- 300 g sausage meat
- 400 g white mushrooms
- 600 g béchamel sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 50 g parmesan cheese
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- 1Boil the Paccheri pasta
Add coarse salt to a pot of boiling water and cook the Paccheri pasta. Remove the pasta when it is 70% cooked and toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent the tubes from sticking together.
Tip: Removing the pasta at 70% doneness (al dente) is crucial, as it will continue to cook during the baking process. - 2Slice the fresh mushrooms
Prepare the fresh white mushrooms by wiping them clean, then slice them evenly on a wooden cutting board. Uniform slices will ensure they cook down perfectly and blend well into the creamy stuffing mixture.
Tip: Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel instead of rinsing them in water to prevent them from becoming soggy. - 3Prepare the sausage meat
Use a small knife to slit the raw sausages lengthwise and carefully peel away the outer casings. Discard the casings and collect the seasoned minced meat, which will provide a robust, savory flavor base for the filling.
Tip: If the sausages are slightly chilled, the casing will peel away much more easily in one piece. - 4Sauté the mushrooms and sausage
Once the minced sausage meat is thoroughly browned in the pan with olive oil and garlic, add the sliced white mushrooms. Stir everything together, cover the pan, and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
Tip: Allow the mixture to cook uncovered for a few minutes at the end to ensure any excess moisture from the mushrooms completely evaporates. - 5Combine the filling
Transfer the cooked sausage and mushroom mixture into a mixing bowl. Pour in the pre-made creamy white sauce and gently fold all the ingredients together until evenly combined. This rich and savory mixture will be used to stuff the pasta tubes.
Tip: Let the meat and mushroom mixture cool slightly before folding in the white sauce so it maintains a thick consistency that is easy to pipe.
