Triple Cheese Pasta with Green Peas
Submitted by 1965076
Triple cheese pasta with green peas tosses hot rotelle with gorgonzola-butter, plus mozzarella and Fontina that melt into creamy ribbons from the residual heat. Sweet green peas and fresh chives cut through the richness.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThree Italian cheeses do very different jobs here. Gorgonzola mashed with soft butter melts at the bottom of a warm bowl and becomes the sauce. Mozzarella and Fontina go in at the end with a slick of olive oil, barely softening from the heat of the pasta so you get pockets of stretchy, gooey cheese in every forkful.
The rotelle is not just for looks. Those wagon wheel ridges and hollow hubs catch the gorgonzola sauce and capture sweet green peas in the cups, making every bite balanced. Chopped chives scatter on top for a sharp, green finish against all that dairy.
Pro Tips
- Warm the serving bowl first. Rinse with boiling water and dry before the gorgonzola butter goes in. A cold bowl will seize the cheese instead of melting it.
- Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining. If the sauce feels too thick, a splash of the starchy water loosens it without diluting flavor.
- Drain the pasta a minute shy of the package time. It will continue cooking in the hot bowl as you toss, and firm pasta holds up under the weight of the cheese.
- Add the mozzarella and Fontina last and toss quickly. You want them to soften, not fully melt into the sauce. The textural contrast is the whole point.
Variations
- Add cubes of prosciutto or crisp pancetta for a meatier version.
- Swap the peas for blanched asparagus tips in spring or roasted butternut squash in fall.
- Finish with a grating of fresh nutmeg, which is traditional with creamy cheese pastas in northern Italy.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small bowl, mash the Gorgonzola and butter.
In a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella, Fontina, olive oil, and pepper.
Using a steamer rack, steam the peas over moderate heat until tender, until 5 to 7 minutes.
Alternatively the peas can be cooked in the microwave about 3 to 4 minutes or until done.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook rotelle until tender but still firm to the bite 5 to 7 minutes, drain well.
Meanwhile, place the Gorgonzola and butter mixture in a large warmed bowl and let melt.
Add the pasta and peas to the bowl. Toss to coat well.
Sprinkle with the chives, add the mozzarella and Fontina mixture and toss again.
Season with salt and additional pepper to taste.
Comments
