Name: Penne al Gorgonzola
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g penne; 200 g Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled; 200 ml double cream; 1 tbsp butter; 40 g walnuts, toasted and chopped; ½ tsp black pepper

Penne al Gorgonzola

Penne in a quick sauce of Gorgonzola melted into cream with walnuts, ready in 20 minutes.

20 min total Serves 4 servings Easy

Make Ahead and Storage

Best fresh.

Making Penne al Gorgonzola

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

Boil the penne in salted water until just tender. Keep 100 ml of the water, then drain.
Melt the butter and cream in a wide pan over low heat. Add the Gorgonzola and stir for 3 minutes until melted.
Toss in the penne with a splash of the water for 1 minute.
Scatter with the walnuts and pepper and serve at once.

Worth Knowing

Keep the cream below a boil.
Use the soft dolce Gorgonzola.
Toast the walnuts for crunch.

Behind the Recipe

This is what to cook on the first cold evening, when you want something rich in a hurry. Penne al gorgonzola is a quick pasta where a blue cheese melts into cream, and the sauce takes less time than the pasta.

Use the soft, creamy kind of Gorgonzola, called dolce, which melts evenly, and crumble it into the pan over a low heat. Do not let the cream boil, because boiling splits it and leaves an oily slick. Stir until the cheese has gone, which takes about 3 minutes, and add a splash of pasta water to loosen it.

Boil the penne until just tender, drain it and toss it in the sauce. Scatter with toasted walnuts for crunch, which also cuts the richness, and finish with black pepper. A handful of rocket or a few fresh pear slices on the side make a sharp contrast. Serve at once, as the sauce thickens fast.

Serving Ideas

Rocket salad · Sliced pear · Dry white wine

Common Substitutions & Variations

In a sauce, full-fat crème fraîche can usually take the place of the double cream; single cream is thinner and more likely to split if it boils, so keep it below a simmer.