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4.8 from 33 votes

Pasta alla Boscaiola

Pasta alla boscaiola, aka "Woodman's Pasta", is a classic Tuscan Italian sauce made with smoky bacon, earthy mushrooms, tomatoes and cream, creating the ultimate Italian comfort food!

Prep Time
45 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 692 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 6 lices thick cut bacon diced
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 cup onion thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 28 ounce can peeled whole tomatoes and their juices puréed in a blender or food processor
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound pasta noodles pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup peas
  • ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a Dutch oven or large sauté pan on the stove, cook the chopped bacon over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate or bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the bacon fat and return to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes
  4. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme to the pan and sauté for 5-6 minutes
  5. Add the puréed tomatoes and white wine.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer.
  8. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
  10. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
  11. Drain pasta, reserving about one cup of the pasta-cooking water.
  12. Add the cream to the pasta sauce along with the peas, drained pasta and cooked bacon.
  13. Bring to a simmer, adding reserved pasta-cooking water as needed to thin the sauce, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
  14. I recommend adding no more than 1-2 tablespoons of cooking water at a time.
  15. After the sauce reaches your desired consistency, remove the pasta and sauce from the heat and stir in the parsley and cheese.
  16. Serve additional parmesan cheese on the side for grating over the plated pasta.

Notes

  • Fresh Mushrooms: I used one pound of baby bella mushrooms to make this dish. Porcini mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms or any fresh mushrooms you can find will all work in this recipe.
  • Pasta: I recommend a thick, hearty pasta to go with this sauce, such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or fettuccine, but feel free to use the pasta of your preference.
  • Bacon: Diced pancetta can be used in place of the bacon, if you'd like. 
  • Vegetarian: To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon and use 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in place of the bacon fat to sauté the mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Nutrition Information

Calories 692kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 69g (23%) Protein 21g (42%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 16g (80%) Cholesterol 143mg (48%) Sodium 688mg (29%) Potassium 884mg (25%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1130mg (23%) Vitamin C 25mg (28%) Calcium 135mg (14%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 692

% Daily Value*

Calories 692kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 69g 23%
Protein 21g 42%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 143mg 48%
Sodium 688mg 29%
Potassium 884mg 19%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 1130mg 23%
Vitamin C 25mg 28%
Calcium 135mg 14%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.