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Pappardelle With Rich Gorgonzola Sauce

Pappardelle

I love to shop at my local Saturday market and especially at the stall of Mercato Italiano, where I can buy my favourite pasta flour and beautiful Italian cheeses. I sometimes make this sauce when I’ve bought a chunk of gorgonzola dolce, and I serve it with a herby green leaf salad and a classic French dressing.

Serves 4

  • 400g/14oz egg pappardelle
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 50ml/2fl oz water
  • 160g/5¾oz gorgonzola
  • 200g/7oz spinach, washed
  • 2 tablespoons mascarpone
  • pangratatto, to serve (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the garlic and onions for 10–15 minutes until they are really soft and just beginning to turn golden. Add a pinch of salt and 50ml/2fl oz of water and then continue to cook gently for another 5 minutes.

Break up the gorgonzola with your fingers, add to the pan and cook on a low heat, stirring from time to time, until the gorgonzola has melted into the sauce. Add the spinach and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 2 more minutes until spinach has wilted into the sauce.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil before adding the salt and cook the papardelle for 1½–2 minutes.

Transfer the pappardelle to the sauce using tongs, keeping the pasta water to one side. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of cooking water, then stir in the mascarpone. Combine together, tossing or moving around the pasta with your kitchen tongs. When you see that the sauce is nicely coating your pasta, you are ready to serve it. Add a twist or two of black pepper and check the seasoning.

Serve with pangratatto to add crunch, if you like, and a mixed leaf salad on the side.