Italian Four Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipes

PASTA AI QUATTRO FORMAGGI (CREAMY FOUR-CHEESE PASTA) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, saucier, or other medium pot, combine cream with thyme, garlic, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a flexible spatula to prevent scorching, then remove from heat and let steep 5 minutes. Remove and discard garlic and thyme.
• Return infused cream to low heat and add Taleggio, whisking constantly until Taleggio is fully melted.
• Add grated Gruyère (or Fontina) and continue to whisk until fully melted and a smooth sauce forms. Whisk in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Using a spider skimmer, transfer pasta to cheese sauce; alternatively, strain pasta in a colander, making sure to first reserve 1 cup (240ml) pasta-cooking water. Add 1/4 cup (60ml) pasta-cooking water to pasta and sauce and, working over medium-low heat, stir gently until pasta is coated in a creamy glaze. If sauce becomes too thick, add more pasta water, 1 tablespoon (15ml) at a time, to loosen to proper glazing consistency. Season with salt to taste.
• Remove from heat and stir in gorgonzola; it may completely melt into the sauce, but it's fine (arguably even desirable) if some pieces remain mostly intact.
• Serve right away, passing more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.

CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour 500ml milk into a large saucepan and add 4 tbsp plain flour and 50g butter.
• Turn on the heat to medium and start to whisk the mixture. Keep whisking fast as the butter melts and the mixture comes to the boil - the flour will disappear and the sauce will begin to thicken.
• Whisk for another 2 mins while the sauce bubbles then stir in 100g grated strong cheddar cheese (or 50g grated cheddar, 50g crumbled blue cheese) until melted.

FOUR CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan combine whipping cream and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until butter melts. Gradually stir in grated Parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, grated provolone cheese, and grated Romano cheese. Reduce heat to low, and continue to stir just until all cheese is melted.
• Serve immediately, sauce will thicken upon standing.

CREAMY FOUR CHEESE GARLIC SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter on medium heat in a large skillet, add minced garlic and coo for about 1 minute on medium heat, without burning.
• Cook pasta in a separate pan, drain. Reserve some of cooked pasta water. Dissolve 1 cube of chicken broth bullion in 1 cup of hot pasta water.
• Add pasta water (with the dissolved chicken broth bullion cube in it), heavy cream, and cooked spaghetti to the skillet with cooked garlic. Bring to boil, stirring. Once the liquids are boiling, immediately add cheese and keep stirring everything together (spaghetti and the cream), while boiling, until cheese melts and coats pasta, for about 1 minute. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook, constantly stirring, to thicken the sauce - for another minute or two.
• To serve, top each serving with finely chopped chives, or green onions, or parsley.

FIVE STAR FOUR-CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Slowly stir in milk and blend completely.
• Bring the milk slowly to the boil, stirring the whole time until the sauce is thickened.
• Stir the cheeses into the milk mixture.
• Stir until they are just beginning to melt and remove from the heat.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• (I love this sauce with Ravioli).