Easy and Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta with Olives (pasta alla cenere)

Method5 steps · about 25 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Pit the black olives (3.5 oz) if necessary and chop them very finely. Remove the rind from the Gorgonzola and cut the cheese into small chunks.

   Uses 3.5 oz black olives · 10.5 oz Gorgonzola Dolce

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta salt and return it to the boil.

   Uses Water for boiling the pasta · salt (for pasta.)

3. 3

   Step 3: While the pasta water heats, put the 200 ml milk or cream and the prepared Gorgonzola in a deep skillet. Warm over low heat, stirring continuously until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce.

   Uses Gorgonzola chunks from step 1 · 200 ml milk, or cream instead

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Stir the finely chopped olives into the melted cheese sauce. If using, strip the leaves from the herb sprig and add them. Cook over very low heat for about 1 minute. If desired, add some of the optional measured 2 oz grated cheese to thicken the sauce, keeping the rest for serving.

   Warm olives and herbs in cheese sauce · 1 minUses Cheese and milk/cream sauce from step 3 · Pitted, chopped black olives from step 1 · Leaves of 1 sprig marjoram or thyme, if using · Some of the optional measured 2 oz grated cheese, only if needed to thicken; keep the rest for serving

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Cook the 14 oz pasta in the salted water until al dente according to its packet. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain. If the Gorgonzola sauce is too thick, stir in a little of that reserved water before adding the pasta. Toss pasta and sauce over medium heat and serve immediately with any remaining grated cheese if desired. For a vegetarian version, both blue and grating cheeses must be labelled vegetarian.

   Uses Pasta water prepared in step 2 · 14 oz penne or rigatoni · Prepared sauce from step 4 · Grated cheese remaining from the optional 2 oz stock, if desired