Rich and creamy pasta ai quattro formaggi — or pasta with four cheeses — is the Italian equivalent of American mac and cheese. The cheeses can vary, though funky Gorgonzola and nutty Parmesan are typical.
In this recipe from “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we use that classic combination, along with creamy mascarpone and fontina, an Italian semi-soft cow’s milk cheese that melts well. A short pasta with contours or crevices for catching the creamy sauce works well — we especially like campanelle, with its frilly edges and hollow centers.
We use only 3 quarts of water to boil the pasta so the liquid is extra starchy, then combine some of the cooking water with whole milk, along with the fontina, mascarpone and Gorgonzola. Once mostly melted, half of the Parmesan goes into the pot, along with a little freshly grated nutmeg for a hint of nuttiness.
Al dente pasta is simmered in the sauce until it clings to the noodles, then transferred to a baking dish and topped with more Parmesan. To finish, a few minutes under the broiler lightly crisps and browns the surface. Cool and firm for 10 minutes before serving to prevent the hot cheese from spilling out when you serve the pasta.
Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta (Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi)
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon salted butter, room temperature
1 pound campanelle, gemelli or penne pasta
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, basil or chives
Directions:
Heat the broiler with a rack positioned about 6 inches from the element. Coat a broiler-safe 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 teaspoons salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain; set the pasta aside.
In the same pot over medium, bring the reserved cooking water and the milk to a simmer. Add the fontina, mascarpone and Gorgonzola; whisk until mostly melted, about 1 minute. Stir in half of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; it’s fine if the mixture is not perfectly smooth. Add the pasta and parsley; cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to cling to the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the mixture to thicken slightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Broil until the top is browned in spots, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milk
Christopher Kimball, The Associated Press