Three Color Fusilli With Four Cheeses 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.

CHICKEN FUSILLI WITH SPINACH AND ASIAGO CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare the fusilli according to the package directions in a 6-quart saucepot. Add the spinach during the last minute of the cooking time. Drain the fusilli mixture well in a colander, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic to the skillet and cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, soup, 1/2 cup cooking liquid and red pepper and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fusilli mixture and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir in the remaining cooking liquid as needed until desired consistency. Sprinkle with the cheese.

FUSILLI WITH SPINACH AND ASIAGO CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper, and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine.
• Transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve.

CASSEROLE OF FUSILLI AND THREE CHEESES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter 2.5-quart souffle dish. Add oil to large pot of rapidly boiling salted water. Add pasta, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse pasta with cold water and drain thoroughly.
• Combine cream, wine and hot pepper sauce in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Gradually whisk in blue cheese, Brie and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Add sage, thyme and pepper. Whisk until cheese melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
• Spoon 1/3 of pasta into prepared dish. Pour in 1/3 of sauce. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times. Bake casserole 20 minutes. Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Spread tomato slices evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan. Bake uncovered 10 minutes.

FUSILLI WITH THREE CHEESES AND RED BELL PEPPER

Steps:

• # In a medium frying pan, melt one tablespoon of the butter over moderately low heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. # 2. Heat the broiler. Butter a large shallow baking dish. # 3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fusilli until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot. Toss the pasta with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 3/4 teaspoon salt, the sautéed bell peppers, the fontina, mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan and the black pepper. # 4. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Broil until the top starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with additional Parmesan. # 5. Notes: Browned and Bubbling: Cheese often turns stringy when tossed with hot pasta. Broiling the dish after tossing melts the strings into a smooth sauce. An added bonus: that irresistible brown crust. # 6. Wine Recommendation: Creamy cheeses need a light red wine as a foil for their richness. A weighty Chianti Classico or Riserva would be overpowering here, but a basic Chianti, with its slight bitter-cherry flavor, will strike just the right balance.