Rigatoni Woodsman-Style

In 'Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen' by Lidia Bastianich

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

•  salt
• 1⁄4 cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  large onion, diced (about 1 1/4 c.)
• 1⁄2 lb  sweet Italian sausage, preferably without fennel seeds
• 1  lb  assorted mushroom, sliced thin (about 5 cups)
• 1  cup diced tomato (fresh or canned drained)
• 1  cup fresh peas or 1  cup  frozen peas, defrosted and drained
•  freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock or 1 1⁄2 cups  vegetable stock or 1 1⁄2 cups  pasta cooking water
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1  cup  fresh ricotta cheese (or packaged whole-milk ricotta cheese)
• 1  cup  freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more

Directions

1. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; toss in the onion; cook/stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes.
3. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and stir, breaking up the sausage into small pieces as you do, until the sausage is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir about half the mushrooms into the sausage mixture; add the remaining mushrooms as those in the pan wilt, making room for more.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
6. If the mushrooms give off liquid, allow time for the juices to boil off before the mushrooms start to brown.
7. Pour the tomatoes into the skillet, stir in the peas, and bring to a boil.
8. Decrease heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer; season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook a minute or two.
9. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil; cook until the sauce is lightly reduced and is perking like a little volcano, about 5 minutes.
10. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil; spoon the ricotta into the sauce and stir gently to mix.
11. If the skillet is large enough to hold the sauce and the pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet.
12. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
13. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring gently to coat the pasta with the sauce.
14. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of grated cheese.
15. Check the seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.
16. Spoon the rigatoni into warm bowls and serve immediately, passing additional cheese separately if you like.