Thursday, February 3, 2011

PESTO and CHEESE LOVE SAUCE with PASTA

This is a simple remedy for long Winter nights when served warm, and long Summer days when served at room temperature.  I've eaten it cold, right out of the container, standing at the refrigerator door, and thanking the palate gods for their many blessings.
    This isn't a low-calorie, particularly healthy dish, so save it for your night off from your good regimen. It's health is more for your morale or, your sexy, which will usually provide enough exercise for you to help balance the calories! Dancing is such great exercise!
     I've used everything from non-fat half & half to heavy cream, and they're all great because the flavor is "the thing, wherein you'll lose the conscience of the King."

Ingredients:

    6-8 oz Pesto Sauce (see recipe in separate posting), homemade or out of the refrigerated section of your market.  If it's not refrigerated, it's not fresh. If you've just made it, it needs to age for at a coupla days, a week is better, as the flavors wed and mingle.
    8 oz. Gorgonzola, or other mild blue cheese, grated.  If it's too strong, than it becomes a cheese sauce, which is fine if that's what you want. I prefer that the pesto and cheese share the wealth.
    16 oz. (1 pint) Half & half, or cream; dairy or soy, warmed in the microwave, but not too hot
    1 T Coconut or Truffle oil, or butter
    1 T Flour
    1 Pound (16 oz.) Radiatore or thicker than spaghetti pasta; your choice, the radiatore absorbs the sauce without losing its own character on behalf of the sauce.  You want the sauce to be with you, not your plate.
Cook the pasta in salted, oiled (1 T Olive or other oil) water to your taste, not too al dente, not overcooked.
     Sprinkle of Nutmeg, Pepper (optional)

No other seasonings are required since you already have salt in the pesto and the cheese, and plenty of flavor.

Method:

Gently heat the oil over a low to low-medium setting, and quickly wisk in the flour.
Add the cream, and continue stirring as the sauce begins to thicken.
Add the pesto and cheese and gently fold them in.
Add sprinkle o' nutmeg and/or pepper.
The sauce should be thick enough by now, and can be poured immediately over the pasta.
Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
Serve with a little extra cheese if desired, and a green salad to help balance all of this richness.
  This dish is excellent with red or white wine, and lots of time to lick your lips, or your partners', between bites.
Bon Appetite!




 
  

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