Spaghetti Al Quattro Formaggi

Quattro Formaggi translates to four cheeses.

I was off to Tinder Box to get some cheeses after gym class. I should have sweat it out more than usual, but I didn't. Anyway, out of the guilt trip, I tried out this recipe for dinner and it's heavenly sinful!

200g uncooked pasta (penne/macaroni)
40g butter
1 cup all-purpose cream
30 g grated parmesan cheese (parmigianno)
30 g gorgonzola or bleu cheese
30 g each of any 2 of the ff: provolone, fontina, pecorino, gruyere, emmenthal
pinch of salt (optional)
white pepper
nutmeg

1. Cook the pasta as directed.
2. Grate the hard cheese.
3. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, melt all the other ingredients:
- Heat cream and butter in a nonstick sauce pan over a medium low heat.
- Add (grated) cheese, add the hard cheeses first.
- If it gets dry add a little bit of pasta water or cream.
3. Stir constantly because the cheeses will settle, melt over the bottom of the pan, and burn if you don't. Let it slightly reduce to desired consistency. (warning, don't over reduce, since this mixture tend to dry up when cold.)
4. Add salt (optional since cheeses are salty) & white pepper to taste, and a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
5. When the pasta is just shy of being done, drain it. Transfer it to a skillet, stir in the sauce, and cook over a brisk flame, fold and toss in the cheese cream until most liquid is absorbed.
6. Remove from fire and serve immediately.

-0-
Price of cheese per 100 grams, I used the following:
P71 (Arla) Blue cheese (50% off from SaveMore's yellow tag sale)
P120 Gruyere
P187 Fontina (I've read in most recipe that this is a must.)
P150 Parmesan (grated, which is much cheaper)

-0-
I had the Gruyere, Fontina and Parmesan grated since these are hard cheeses. I ommited the nutmeg and replaced the white with black pepper since I didn't have these on my cupboard, yet it tasted good! :)

SpaghettiVongole

I prepared this for Christmas dinner...

1kg fresh live clams
2cloves garlic, minced
a bunch of parsley, chopped

1/4tsp dried red pepper/chilli flakes
1/2c dry white wine
1/2c olive oil
4large peeled & seeded tomatoes, diced
bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
450g spaghetti, cooked to package directions

1. Prepare the clams - scrub and let it purge in salted water for several hours. (1kg clams to 3L water with 200g non-iodized salt)
2. In a pan, heat olive oil, saute the garlic.
3. Add chilli pepper and parsley when the mixture starts to brown lightly.
4. Add live clams; the shells open as it cooks.
5. Add wine, reduce.
6. Add the tomatoes.
7. Add spices*
8. Don't overcook the clams as this hardens.
10.Add salt and pepper to taste. Since the clams are salty, need not add salt.
11. Toss in the cooked pasta.

*may add bay leaf, star anise, chicken powder for added flavor.

SpaghettiFunghiPorcini

This is my first "edible" pasta ever. Edible in the sense that it satisfied the palet of my worst critics, no less than my three siblings and my three-year-old picky niece (who enjoyed cooking with me).

Spaghetti with pricey Italian mushroom called Porcini.

1c dried porcini mushroom
2c hot water
1large onion, thinly sliced
4cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3tbsp olive oil
1c dry white wine
1pc chicken/beef broth cubes
1tsp chicken powder
1/8c butter
1c whipping cream*

500g durum wheat spaghetti, cooked al dente to package instruction

1. Soak dried porcini mushroom in hot water for about 30 minutes. The water will turn dark. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pan, sautee garlic and onion in olive oil.
3. Remove mushroom from the water, add to the pan and let if cook for a minute.
4. Strain the remaining water to remove sandy residue of the mushroom and add it to the pan. Simmer for a minute or two.
5. Add white wine, simmer to reduce.
6. Add broth cubes.
7. Add butter.
8. Add chicken powder.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste. It should be a bit salty as this will neutralize when the pasta is added.
10. Add cooked pasta, mix together then remove from heat.
11. Fold in cream.

*for cooking, my personal preference is this brand Arla whipping cream.