Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta
Penne pasta drenched in a creamy gorgonzola sauce with pancetta, mushrooms and leek. Creamy pasta recipes don't come more delicious than this!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Deep Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Large Pot & Colander
Ingredients
- 5.3oz / 150g diced Pancetta
- 5.3oz / 150g Mushrooms, sliced (I use Chestnut Mushrooms)
- 1 Leek, trimmed and diced (see notes)
- 12.3oz / 350g Penne (or short-cut pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 3/4 cup / 180ml Heavy/Double Cream, leave at room temp
- 3.5oz / 100g Gorgonzola, sliced into large chunks
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the pancetta to a large pan, then turn the heat to medium. Fry until it starts crisping up with the fat rendering out.
- At this point, you can add the pasta to a pot of salted water and cook until al dente. Just before draining, scoop a cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Add the mushrooms to the pancetta and fry until they soften and start to brown, then add the leek and continue frying until it fully softens and starts taking on colour.
- Melt the butter, then pour in 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Swiftly stir to emulsify the starchy water, pancetta fat and butter until it turns cloudy. Stir in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the gorgonzola until it melts into the sauce. Bring back to a gentle bubble then cut the heat.
- Stir through the cooked pasta until the sauce thickens, clings to the pasta and is no longer watery. If the sauce thickens too much, use the leftover pasta water to thin it out as needed (discard if not).
- Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. I typically add a tiny amount of salt and a good pinch of pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Pancetta Fat - I don't use oil to start off frying this; it fries well in its own fat. Just keep the heat on medium.
b) Leeks - ensure you trim off the dark green leaves (you can save these for stocks and soups; too tough to eat normally) and ensure you rinse the leek in cold water to remove any hidden dirt if you need to.
c) Starchy Water - Important that the pasta water is a) well seasoned (so it doesn't dilute the flavour) and b) nice and starchy (so it helps create the creamy sauce). Make sure you don't pour too much water in the pot to boil otherwise it won't be starchy enough. Also, make sure you scoop the water out JUST before draining the pasta.
d) Can I use other Blue Cheeses? - Gorgonzola works great for its smooth and creamy texture and its subtle flavour. You can use other blue cheeses, but you may have to reduce the quantity or it'll overpower the dish. Just work to preference.
e) Calories - Divided by 4.
Nutrition
Calories: 763kcal | Carbohydrates: 75.61g | Protein: 19.2g | Fat: 44.32g | Saturated Fat: 17.628g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.859g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.302g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 10.4g | Sugar: 3.29g | Vitamin A: 1474IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 1.79mg