Tagliatelle d´inverno
 Winter noodles
½ cup olive oil
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 TBS of finely chopped celery
1 and 1/2 cups chopped Italian sausage, (no fennel),
the sausage is best if left out to dry for a few days before using it.
1 and ½ cups Italian ricotta cheese, best if goat ricotta
2 cups sliced champignon mushrooms,
best if you can use the fresh or dried Porcini mushrooms.
½ TBS choppesd fresh mint
½ cup vegetable or meat broth
¾ cups grated pecorino cheese for topping
salt and pepper as needed
tagliatelle or any type of fresh egg noodles
In a large skillet ( big enough to contain the cooked noodles ) place the oil , garlic, celery, sausage and sautè, then add the ricotta, mushrooms, mint and broth, salt and pepper. When all is cooked (10-15 minutes), add the just fresh cooked pasta (always "al dente" ) stir in the pecorino cheese and serve.
I substituted the Porcini mushroom with the champignon because I realize that it may be difficult to find the fresh Porcini all year round. This is called winter tagliatelle because we can only find the best Porcini here in Tuscany in winter. You can use the frozen porcini. My nonna Zita had once invited the rich cousins from the city for dinner. It was the first time they Mario had granted us the honor of eating with the poor side of the family. Nonna wanted to make a very good impression, she had set the table with her best. The china and glasses that she used once a year for the patron saint dinner, ( S. Ansano, first Sunday of September ).
But this day was just as important, she said.
When Mario sat down he asked not to be served anything with cheese, he hated cheese. I can still remember nonnas face, I was 8 at the time. I knew at once that it was one of those times that I needed to keep quiet. Nonna started to serve the antipasto, (home made salami, prosciutto and olives). She then came with the big pasta bowl. I noticed that the pasta was pink colored and not white like it always was when she made this kind of pasta. We all ate and Mario and Tervina took a second helping. When dinner was over and Mario and his wife had gone back home, happy and full, nonna told the rest of the family that she had put some plain tomato and basil sauce that she had made the day before to hide the taste and the color of the cheese. To this day I do not know if Mario ate the pasta to please nonna or if he really liked it. I enjoy both versions. Buon appetito.
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