Boscaiola means "from the woods." In Tuscany, that means porcini. Not champignon. Not a mix. Porcini, slow-sauteed with pancetta and onion until the pan smells like an October morning.
The tomato goes in after the mushrooms. Not the other way around. The mushrooms need direct heat first: liquid kills their texture before they can caramelize.
No cream. The Florentine version uses cream. This is not that recipe.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta strips and cook for 3-4 minutes until the fat renders and the edges begin to crisp. Set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and the diced onion to the same pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until softened.
Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the sliced porcini and season with salt. Cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms begin to color. Stir and cook another 3 minutes.
Return the pancetta to the pan. Add the hand-crushed peeled tomatoes and the olives. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne for 11 minutes.
Drain the penne, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Transfer to the sauce and toss over medium heat for 1 minute, loosening with pasta water as needed.
Turn off the heat. Add the chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.
You made Penne Boscaiola. Time to eat.
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If you cannot find fresh porcini, use 30g of dried porcini soaked in 200ml of warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze them dry, chop roughly, and add the strained soaking water to the sauce in place of pasta water. The flavor will be more intense.
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Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.
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