When I see anything with pistachios on a menu, I have to order it. The pistachio ravioli at Pastaria hooked me – ravioli in a rich browned butter sauce finished with cheese, pistachios, mint and lemon. I now add pistachios to whatever I can: salads, pasta dishes and desserts. When flipping through Battersby: Extraordinary Food From an Ordinary Kitchen by Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern, the farfalle with Gorgonzola and pistachios naturally caught my eye.
The sauce was easy: a little garlic and chile flake (I used dried red pepper flakes instead of the hard-to-find Calabrian chile.), a lot of heavy cream along with Gorgonzola, pecorino and Grana Padano. Toss that with cooked farfalle and finish with pistachios for crunch, basil for a little sweetness and orange zest for a burst of freshness. The dish is rich but balanced by the bright orange zest and basil.
Skill level: Moderate. Many of these recipes take patience but they don’t seem complicated.
This book is for: Home cooks who want to elevate their game
Other recipes to try: Vanilla-glazed beets with Gorgonzola and walnuts, shrimp with pimento pepper, potato and chorizo
The verdict: Check back next week when the next restaurant cookbook takes on Battersby.
Farfalle with Gorgonzola and Pistachios
6 servings
Gorgonzola sauce
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. chopped Calabrian chile
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 oz. Gorgonzola cheese
1½ Tbsp. finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1½ Tbsp. finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
To serve
Kosher salt
1 lb. fresh farfalle, homemade or store-bought
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup finely grated Grana Padano
¾ cup pistachio nuts, toasted and crushed
1 orange
8 to 12 small fresh basil leaves
• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chile and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and slowly bring it to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove the pot from heat, season with salt and pepper and pour the mixture into a blender. Add the Gorgonzola, Grana Padano and pecorino and blend to emulsify, about 20 seconds. Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
• To serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the reserved sauce to a boil in a wide, deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the butter, melting it.
• When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add the cheese and pistachios and toss well.
• Divide the pasta among 6 plates. Finely grate some orange zest over each serving and garnish with the basil leaves. Serve.
Reprinted with permission from Grand Central Life & Style
This article appears in March 2016.
