Although any mushrooms can be used, wild tree mushrooms ( the most popular in the authentic recipes), porcini or crimini are the most popular with this dish in Tuscany when in season.
You will also find pasta alla boscaiola on most Tuscan Trattoria menus in Italy using a popular wine tomato sauce.
Today I improvised and added some pork sausage and boneless pork ribs to make a tasty hearty sauce with mushrooms.
The sauce is thick and delicious with just a few ingredients and can be poured over garlic bread, rice, polenta or any kind of pasta you like.
On today's menu using this delicious sauce, we have made it two ways in an open-faced sandwich and over pappardelle pasta.
If you love tomato sauce recipes try some of my other recipes for pasta dishes like Traditional Sunday Sauce, Alfredo or Scampi Sauce, and another family favorite Simple Marinara Sauce.
There is also a cream version using wine and heavy cream to make boscaiola, this is the Tuscan version with using whole crushed tomatoes and leaving chunks along with tomato sauce.
Scroll down to the recipe card for this easy and printable mushroom-style sauce recipe and also check out the many ways you can serve this or use this sauce with our suggestions.
Variety of Mushrooms
I love wild mushrooms or all kinds for that matter so this recipe is a win-win for our family.
To get the authentic true delicious version of this dish, try and find some of the listed kinds I mentioned, I had to use baby bella today since I couldn't find crimini or porcini (which have several kinds depending on the areas grown).
Most of the time I use dried porcini and they give the sauce a smoky flavor that goes very well with pork.
Any mushrooms you use this sauce will come out fabulous.
Serving Suggestions:
- poured over pasta as a topping
- over rice steamed
- over green beans or white cannellini beans cooked
- open-faced submarine sandwich baked with mozzarella on top
- over baked potatoes
- used over polenta
- over baked garlic bread or hard-crusted Italian bread with a bowl of meat sauce
Mushroom Suggestions:
- wild mushrooms(tree mushrooms)
- porcini dark, dried or light
- cremini
- white common mushrooms
- shiitake mushrooms
- portobello mushrooms
- baby bella
Tools You Will Need:
- suggested to cook in a cast-iron saucepan
- measuring cup
- sharp knife
- wooden or silicon spoon for stirring
- measuring spoons
- bowl
- ladle
Tips
- use any kind of mushrooms even a medley
- cook on low heat in a cast-iron pan
- add a good grade and tasting drinking wine
- if too thick add water or wine
- always brown the meat first
- use only fresh garlic and do not burn or over brown it
- use only boneless meats
- clean mushrooms before making this sauce and remove all impurities
More Italian Recipes We Love
Homemade Tortellini Pasta
Vodka Sauce
Simple Marinara
Utica New York Style Mushroom Stew
Pin for Later
Delicious Mushroom Sauce
This sauce is an amazing addition to any Italian pasta dish or sopping it up with bread.
We love this sauce and it's so versatile and delicious any way you serve it.
I am sure they will also be a great addition to your Italian recipe collection.
Pasta alla boscaiola, aka “Woodman's Pasta”, is a classic Tuscan Italian sauce with sausage and mushrooms served over pasta or rice usually made in Autumn a delicious meal don't miss trying this!
Yield: 8
Boscaiola Pork Sauce
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 10 M
This is a Boscaiola Tuscan mushroom tomato sauce. A perfect recipe using any kind of mushrooms over pasta and many other uses. Simple ingredients with a gourmet taste.
Ingredients
- 1- 28- ounce can of whole canned tomatoes (or two pounds plum tomatoes peeled)
- 1- 28- ounce can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 4 whole garlic cloves cleaned and peeled
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links cut into small pieces
- 1 pound boneless country-style pork spare ribs or other boneless pork meat ( tenderloin, etc.)
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms ( authentic uses wild tree mushrooms, porcini or cremini use whatever kind you can find or prefer)
- 2 cups white wine (use a good grade of white wine like pinot grigio one you would drink)
- water or more wine if needed to thin
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt, pepper to taste
- Optional: cracked red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- In a large cast-iron saucepan, add the oil and saute the meat until browned on both sides adding the garlic just before the ending of searing.
- Do not brown the garlic, remove, crush the garlic and return it to the pan after you add the sauce.
- Add the mushrooms and wine, garlic, then the tomatoes.
- Simmer until the meat is fork-tender very low heat for around 2 hours.
- Around 30 minutes before the sauce is done stir in the parsley.
- Add more wine or water to thin if too thick.
- This can be served over cooked pasta, rice, polenta, baked potatoes, in submarine sandwiches, baked open-face sandwiches, or just in a bowl with hard-crusted Italian bread.
Calories
579.59Fat (grams)
39.73Sat. Fat (grams)
11.61Carbs (grams)
21.05Fiber (grams)
4.46Net carbs
16.60Sugar (grams)
12.13Protein (grams)
26.39Sodium (milligrams)
908.74Cholesterol (grams)
87.46