Fettuccine con Fonduta
Region: Italy, Piedmont
Category: Pasta with Cheese
Season: Any
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty
This not-often-seen recipe is one from the Piedmont region of northern Italy and has the same mellow, creamy, stick-to-your-ribs taste of any fondue from the Alps. In this recipe the local fontina cheese is used. When shopping for the fontina, which is after all the critical part of the dish, search for fontina val d’aosta, which is the best of the various fontina cheeses sold. Never buy a non-Italian fontina. The dish can be served as a first or main course with a rosé.
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 pound fontina val d'aosta cheese, diced
2 large egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound fettuccine
1. Bring some water to boil in the bottom portion of a double boiler over high heat. Put the butter, cream, garlic, and fontina cheese in the top portion of the double boiler. Use some of the rind of the cheese, which adds a nice texture (but only if using fontina val d'aosta, not an inferior fontina). Reduce to low and whisk or stir gently until the cheese is melted and smooth.
2. Meanwhile, for every pound of pasta, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat, salt abundantly with up to 1/2 cup of salt, then add the pasta in handfuls. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick together, until al dente. Drain without rinsing.
3. Meanwhile, raise the heat to high under the double boiler. Quickly beat in the egg yolks, one at a time until the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and toss with the sauce and serve.
Posted: 12/16/2006
