Stuffed Paccheri with Sausage and Mushrooms

Make the Filling

1. Start by preparing the ingredients. Finely chop the onion into small pieces. Then, peel the two cloves of garlic. Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping off any dirt with a slightly damp cloth—avoid washing them under running water as they absorb moisture. Once cleaned, chop the mushrooms into small pieces and set them aside. Remove the casing of the sausage by slicing it open with a knife, then cut it into small pieces.
2. Heat a large pan over low heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place one whole garlic clove into the pan, followed by the chopped onion. Let it sauté slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Once the onion is soft, add the sausage to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the sausage browns evenly. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Deglaze with white wine, pouring it into the pan and letting it simmer until the alcohol evaporates completely.
5. Now, add the tomato paste and the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Stir well to combine everything. Increase the heat slightly and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Once the mixture has reduced slightly, add salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves. If there are large chunks of sausage, break them up with a fork to make the filling smoother.
7. Once done, remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool until it’s just warm. This will make it easier to mix with the ricotta later.
8. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with 100 g (1 cup) of grated Parmigiano cheese. Then, add the cooled sausage and mushroom mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. This is the filling for your paccheri.

Cook the Paccheri Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the paccheri pasta and cook them only halfway through the recommended cooking time on the package. They should be firm since they will finish cooking in the oven.
2. Once half-cooked, drain the paccheri carefully and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss them to prevent sticking. Be very careful not to break them, as they need to hold their shape for stuffing. Set them aside.

Assemble and Bake

1. Take a 22 cm (9-inch) round baking dish and spread half of the béchamel sauce evenly across the bottom. Then, arrange the paccheri upright, placing them side by side in concentric circles, starting from the outer edge and working your way inward. They should be tightly packed together, forming a beautiful circular pattern in the dish.
2. Now, fill the paccheri with the prepared sausage and mushroom mixture. For an easier process, transfer the filling into a pastry bag (without a nozzle) and pipe it into each pacchero. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a small teaspoon, carefully spooning the filling into each piece of pasta.
3. Once all the paccheri are stuffed and neatly arranged, sprinkle the remaining grated Parmigiano cheese over the top.
4. Finally, pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the stuffed paccheri, ensuring all of them are well covered. This will help create a deliciously creamy texture and a golden crust when baked.
5. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the baking dish on the center rack and bake for about 20 minutes, or until you see a golden-brown crust forming on the surface. If needed, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes to make the top extra crispy.
6. Once baked, remove the stuffed paccheri with sausage and mushrooms from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. This resting time helps the dish set and hold its shape when served.