Penne with Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce
Perfectly cooked al dente penne pasta tossed with a super quick and Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce. This sauce can be used in so many ways like over a juicy chargrilled steak or baked into a potato gratin but it's especially good tossed with pasta for a simple and comforting weeknight meal!
Perfectly cooked al dente penne pasta tossed with a super quick and Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce. This sauce can be used in so many ways like over a juicy chargrilled steak or baked into a potato gratin but it's especially good tossed with pasta for a simple and comforting weeknight meal!
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (124g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Make sure to serve 1/3 pasta water.
- Meanwhile, put the milk and butter in a large deep sided skillet or pan and heat until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted add the gorgonzola and stir until melted.
- Add the cream and 1 tbsp parmesan with a a good pinch of pepper (around 1 tsp freshly grinded) and a pinch of salt.
- Cook the sauce until the pasta is ready (around 3 minutes) and then add 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the cooked pasta and toss until evenly coated, serve with an extra grating of parmesan.
Adding blue cheese directly to a scorching pan without dropping the heat first is the exact mistake that causes dairy to break into an oily sludge. Gorgonzola contains high fat solids that separate quickly when exposed to aggressive heat, leaving you with grainy pockets instead of a cohesive emulsion. Preserving a smooth sauce requires managing the pan temperature carefully while the butter melts into the milk.
Judging Pasta Doneness Without a Timer
Relying solely on package directions often leads to overcooked pasta that disintegrates upon contact with hot sauce. Pull a single piece of penne from the boiling water at the eight-minute mark and cut it open to inspect the interior. A faint white ring of uncooked starch measuring roughly one millimeter in thickness indicates the correct al dente stage. The pasta should offer slight resistance against your teeth without tasting chalky.
- Starch retention depends heavily on boiling water volume; use at least four quarts per pound of pasta to prevent clumping.
- Reserve the starchy cooking water before draining the pot, as the excess liquid acts as the primary binder for the cheese.
- Maintain a gentle simmer once the heavy cream and parmesan join the skillet to keep the emulsion stable.
