The weekend brought the return of snow and the first appearance of frigid temperatures. The kind of weather best enjoyed from the comfort of a warm house, the luxury of sitting with a good book near the fireplace, and the indulgence of savoring one's favorite foods. Having made a late Friday morning trip to the grocery store and welcoming the arrival of "Where the Crawdads Sing" early Friday evening, my body and soul had almost everything it needed.
So while some of you were spending time deciding which things in your closets and drawers "sparked joy" and which could be discarded, I was finding pleasure in making an Herb Crusted Roasted Chicken and this Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. Both of which were relatively simple to make, elegant in their presentation, and definitely sparking euphoria on the palate.
Prior to the Christmas holidays I went on the hunt for a scrap of paper holding a very old Bon Appetit recipe for Tortellini with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce (attributed to Baci Italian Restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA). It had been quite awhile since I had made it, but the memory of its' deliciousness was permanently engrained in at least three of my senses. After spending about a half hour going through all of my unorganized piles and folders of saved recipes, my mission was a success. Ensuring a memorable holiday meal for my family. The elation at finding the recipe was enough to temporarily quell my anxiety over the repeated failed attempts to bring some order to my recipe chaos. However, the day my relatively strong visual memory leaves me will be when I will finally no longer be able to procrastinate decluttering and letting go of decades of saved recipes.
In retrospect, I should have made the Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce the 'star' of our Christmas dinner. Instead I forced it to compete with a Pork Tenderloin with Porchetta Rub, Spinach Stuffed Shells, Florentine Peas with Guanciale, and salad. Not ignoring the lesson learned from the holiday dinner, I paired this Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce with only a Herb Crusted Roasted Chicken. It was the perfect coupling.
There are three basic elements to this recipe: (1) the herby panko topping, (2) the sauce, and (3) the pasta. Not only does this dish take less than thirty minutes from start to finish, it may be one of the easiest pasta dishes to make. In spite of its' simplicity, the Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce is a four star worthy pasta dish. With a combination of textures and flavors giving rise to the most celestial of meals, it is destined to impress your friends and family claiming to be connoisseurs and aficionados of Italian food.
Because there are so few ingredients, their quality will have the most significant effect on its' success. When this recipe was first published, there was an extremely limited availability of 'fresh' pasta in the grocery stores. And the difference in taste between 'fresh' and 'frozen' tortellini is as significant to the difference between night and day. Additionally, access to good quality cheeses has also improved greatly over the years. Whether you use a softer gorgonzola or blue cheese, you want it to be creamy, milky, and silky. The Gorgonzola I used at Christmas was a little more piquant, crumbly, and firmer but the Blue Cheese I used this past weekend would be best characterized as a dolce version. Both created deeply flavored sauces, but if I had to lean in one direction or the other, I would skew to a Dolce Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese (see recommendations below).
Use either a cheese tortellini or a spinach and cheese tortellini. I am partial to the latter from both visual and taste perspectives. Most of the 'fresh' tortellini found in the refrigerated section of the grocery stores cook in approximately four minutes. I found a cooking time ranging between three and three and half minutes yielded a pasta somewhere between al dente and done.
The gorgonzola cream sauce is made with only three ingredients: (1) cheese, (2) heavy whipping cream, and (3) freshly grated nutmeg. Although there is only about 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg in the sauce, it definitely enhances both the creaminess texture and taste of the finished sauce. It definitely does not overpower depth of flavor from the gorgonzola (or blue cheese). As tempted as you may be to leave it out, I would encourage you not to.
The luscious, velvety, warm sauce is mixed in with the hot, drained tortellini and topped with the herbed panko (or bread) topping, then placed in a preheated 450 (F) degree oven for five to six minutes. Just long enough for the topping to become lightly toasted.
If you are looking for an incredibly indulgent pasta and one delivering big on flavor, it is this Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. I won't lie to you. Compared to other pasta dishes this one is on the richer side. Served as a main course with only a salad or a side of protein (for those who like balance in their lives), it is the perfect dish for an epic dinner party, holiday party, or intimate gathering. And, if by chance, you are looking to make a fabulous Valentine's Day dinner, make this Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. Served with a great bottle of wine (or two) and finished off the meal with some Kahlua Affagado Sundaes and, well, everyone will be talking about your dinner for days, weeks, maybe even a lifetime.
Tortellini in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce (inspired by a recipe found in Bon Appetit a very, very long time ago)
Serves 4-6 as a main dish, up to 8 as a side dish
Ingredients
Topping
1/2 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon ried oregano)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
1 generous Tablespoon of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Tortellini and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 pound good quality (soft) Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese (such as Gorgonzola Piccante Gelmini or Point Reyes Blue Cheese), crumbled
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 pounds fresh cheese or spinach and cheese tortellini, (See Notes)
Directions
Topping
1. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Tortellini and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer whipping cream, cheese and nutmeg, stirring frequently until cheese melts and sauce is slightly thickened (approximately 10 minutes).
3. Cook tortellini until al dente (if fresh, approximately 3 to 3 1/2 minutes). Drain thoroughly and transfer to 9" x 11" baking dish (preferably cast iron or one that can tolerate high heat).
4. Pour cheese sauce over the tortellini, stir to coat.
5. Sprinkle the topping evenly the tortellini.
6. Bake until the top is lightly toasted, approximately 5-6 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes: (1) If at all possible, look for fresh tortellini found in the refrigerated section in the grocery store. I used Rana's Spinach and Cheese Tortelloni and cooked it for approximately 3 1/2 minutes. (2) I found the Gorgonzola Piccante Gelmini at an Italian Speciality store and the Point Reyes Blue Cheese at Whole Foods). Given the choice, I would either choose a younger gorgonzola or the Point Reyes Blue Cheese. (3) Any leftovers heat up beautifully in the microwave. (4) I made some changes to the ingredient amounts from the original Bon Appetit recipe. Increasing the amount of whipping cream from 1 3/4 cups to 2 cups, increasing the amount of cheese from 4 ounces to 5-5 1/2 ounces, decreasing the amount of nutmeg from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/8 teaspoon, increasing the amount of pasta from one pound (16 ounces) to one and a quarter pounds (20 ounces), and using fresh instead of dried herbs in the topping.
