Sunday Supper {Straw and Hay with Gorgonzola}

Straw and Hay with Gorgonzola

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof*

salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 ounces prosciutto, cut crosswise in ½-inch-thick matchsticks

1 large chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1½ cups heavy cream

4 ounces gorgonzola

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

8 to 10 ounces fettucine

2 cups frozen peas, defrosted (8 ounces)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves

• Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook for 5 minutes, separating the slices with tongs, until crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the onion to the sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the cream, Gorgonzola, 1½ teaspoons salt, and the pepper and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened. Turn off the heat.
• When the sauce is almost done, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta, allowing some of the water to remain. Pour the pasta into the pan with the sauce. Add the peas, Parmesan, basil, and prosciutto and toss well. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan.

I’ve been cooking my way through the Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook all year and have pretty much made everything that interests us.  I’m excited to report that for Christmas I received TWO new books – Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?.  Yippee!!!

While on the topic of Ina, I made our favorite Barefoot Contessa Cassis Cake for Christmas dessert and had the whole family in stitches when I fooled it up (it’s in the Foolproof book) and had to make a complete do-over.  I think that makes me a fool…

xoxo