Looooove me some stinky cheese! The stronger the better I say! But I am an admitted cheese-a-holic and I don’t care who knows it. 😉 I’ll carry a sign, I’ll wear the t-shirt, I’ll write it across the sky, I don’t care. 😉 😀 

There are a few things that when they’re hanging out in the fridge, I can’t help but sneak some. Every. Single. Time I go into the kitchen. Even when I don’t even need anything. It just seems to keep calling me and I must have some or it will drive me crazy!

Do you have certain food items that do that to you, too? One of the worst for me is black olives!! There’s always some left over after a party or a holiday, and they will drive me nuts until I’ve eaten every last one of them! 

The other is cheese! Especially gorgonzola, blue, super sharp cheddar, havarti, feta, you name it, I’ll snitch it! I’m terrible. I really need help. 

So this is one of those dishes that I love to make just for myself as a special treat as the hubs hates most stinky cheeses and this one is at the top of his hate list. 😉 It’s fun, simple and easy to make, yet tastes like a million bucks! 

Rich, creamy and so, so decadent, that it’s a nice one to serve along a grilled filet mignon for company! A match made in heaven! Serve with classic shrimp cocktail, garlic bread, and a nice tossed salad with a light, red wine vinaigrette, and you’ve got quite a fancy dinner for a party! 😉 

This couldn’t be simpler to make, so there’s no fret at all. The only trick is to simmer down the heavy cream until it has thickened a bit so that it isn’t runny. It becomes so rich that it makes your eyes roll back in your head at the first bite! 

The gorgonzola adds a second layer of richness and the basil completely freshens it up. The garlic adds nice body and depth to make this dish truly memorable! 

Do know your guests though if serving this to company, as, sadly, there are a lot of people out there that just can’t handle strong cheeses such as this one. I feel very lucky that it is something that I can fully enjoy. I so hope that your tastebuds are able to enjoy this dish too, because it’s one of my favorites that really deserves a round of applause! 😉 

So if you’re looking for something different, yet simple to make without a long list of ingredients, this one is perfect! I usually enjoy this by itself with just some garlic bread and a salad, but as I mentioned, it can also be a side dish and goes very nicely with grilled steak or chicken, stuffed mushrooms, roast beef, lamb chops, and even baked ham! 

I do hope other stinky cheese lovers out there give this one a try, and maybe, just maybe, someone else in the household will try a bite and be convinced that a little stinky cheese never killed anyone! 😉 Enjoy all, and I’ll see you tomorrow! 😀 ~Kelly

Yield: 4 servings

Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola, Fresh Basil and Garlic

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb. tagliatelle pasta noodles, cooked al dente, (fresh or dried)
• 1 Tbl. kosher salt
• 4 Tbl. butter
• 2 tsp. minced garlic, (4-5 cloves)
• 12 oz. gorgonzola, half crumbled small - half large crumbles
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 3 Tbl. chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil sprigs for garnish, optional

Instructions

In small pot, bring water and kosher salt to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until al dente according to package directions.

While water is coming to a boil and the pasta is then cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the cream and half of the gorgonzola that has been crumbled into small pieces. Bring to a simmer, and simmer over low heat stirring continuously until the cheese has melted and the cream has slightly thickened. *If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer the heavy cream by itself first until it has reduced and thickened nicely, stir in the gorgonzola until it has melted, then remove from heat and stir in the garlic butter mixture that has been pre-cooked in a small sauté pan.

Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. (*Salt may not be needed if cheese is very salty.)

Drain the pasta, divide between warmed serving plates, pour the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle the remaining gorgonzola cheese evenly over each dish. Garnish each with a sprig of fresh basil.

Serve immediately with soft-baked breadsticks, garlic bread, or crusty pretzel-style breadsticks and a nice tossed salad with a light red wine vinaigrette.