I got this recipe from my Simply Quick & Easy cookbook, pages 106-107. The original instructions call for tagliarini pasta, which we were unable to find at our local grocery store. I think we would have to try a higher-end food market or a specialty store in order to locate that particular kind of pasta. However, fettuccine makes a great substitute, as I later found out.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
8 ounces of gorgonzola cheese (six for the sauce and two for topping later)
5/8 of a cup of heavy cream (just estimate half of a 1/4 cup for the fifth eighth, if that makes sense; I used heavy whipping cream, but I might try half-and-half next time)
2 tbsp dry white wine (your choice)
1 tsp cornstarch
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped finely
Salt and white pepper (I used black pepper, but I think I will try the white next time because I honestly didn't read that part of it closely until now)
14 ounces of dried tagliarini (which I think is like a slightly thinner version of fettuccine, but I actually like a wider pasta, anyway, so I think everything turned out better; the dish even has a catchier name than it does in the book--fettuccine gorgonzola sounds better to me than tagliarini with gorgonzola. End rambling.)
Grated Parmesan cheese, for extra garnish--optional (but not for us)
1. Melt the butter over low heat in a large sauce pan. Add the gorgonzola and melt for about two or three minutes.
2. Add the cream, wine, and cornstarch and whisk until fully mixed in.
3. Add the sage, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil (maintain the low heat), stirring the whole time until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside while the pasta cooks.
4. When the pasta is done and drained, add the sauce to it. Stir to combine. After you plate the pasta, sprinkle with extra gorgonzola and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes: I used white cooking wine instead of a dry white wine because we are red wine drinkers around here, but if you have a dry white hanging around, I would use that instead of the cooking wine. In addition, I used rubbed sage instead of fresh sage because I did not plan well. I sort of dove right in and started boiling the water, making the sauce, and sauteing the sausage before I realized that I needed to add the sage pretty much right away and couldn't leave the sauce cooking too long without stirring. The result was a quick one-handed scouring of the spice cupboard for some dried sage. In the future, I will try to chop the fresh sage beforehand so that it is ready to go when I need it. A related note is that trying to cook the sausage, pasta, and sauce all at once is sort of challenging, requiring a lot of the same one-handed maneuvers I had to pull with the sage. However, it saves time so that this full meal cooks up in about an hour. Not bad for something that tastes like it took a long time, wouldn't you say? Another note is that the sauce takes awhile to thicken. You may think initially that the cheese will never melt and that the sauce will stay watery forever (and thus, you will be tempted to raise the cooking temperature), but I assure you that everything will be fine if you just keep your patience and stir the sauce diligently (it's great arm exercise!!).
I will definitely be making this dish again. It was filling but refreshing, and my family loved it. I think it's a great improvement over traditional fettuccine alfredo because it's a different taste, but the tang isn't too overpowering. I think the slightly sour quality of the gorgonzola helps balance the rich texture of the heavy cream and butter (which I begrudgingly admit does add a wonderful something extra to the dish) for a perfect taste. However, if you like really tangy cheese, you could always substitute in blue cheese (but my family has strongly advised me not to do so, so you'll have to make that version of it and tell me how it goes).
I think one of the best parts of the dish is that it is vegetarian but still very satisfying because of the rich cheese sauce. Excluding meat from the pasta also helps you to customize the meal as you see fit. You could serve little Italian steaks, Italian sausage (that was my choice along with some bread and salad to round things out), chicken, etc. Another great part about this recipe is that it is really very easy and does not take forever to make.
I lucked out this week with another recipe that I would not change too much. I think the sauce:pasta ratio was just perfect, giving the dish enough flavor without being too thick. I also love the combination of butter and sage in the sauce, which is a winning duo if ever there was one (have you ever eaten gnocchi or ravioli in a simple sage butter sauce? To. Die. For.). Furthermore, I don't think you should skimp on the white wine. It adds a great complexity to the sauce, including even more acidity to help cut the richness of the heavy cream and cheese. All in all, I think this is a good summer meal, even though it has a lot of fat in it, mostly because you only need a stove-top and not the oven (so your kitchen can stay relatively cool).
To close, I would like to share how excited I am that every week brings me closer to CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) season for our household, when we will receive a box of fresh vegetables every two weeks from Loon Organics farm in Hutchinson, Minnesota (they have a stand and pick-up location at the Mill City Farmer's Market each Saturday). I cannot wait to add these beautiful foods to my cooking. We here in Minnesota wait nine months just to savor the flavors of summer each year, and I think we deserve it this year more than most. In the meantime, happy eating!
 |
| Photo enhanced with Instagram filtering. |
No comments:
Post a Comment