Q1: What is Gorgonzola cheese, and will it be too strong?

Gorgonzola is a world-famous Italian blue cheese. Its flavor can range from mild to sharp. If you are new to blue cheese or prefer a milder flavor, look for Gorgonzola Dolce , which is younger and creamier. If you are a true blue cheese lover and want a bold, pungent flavor, choose Gorgonzola Piccante . When melted into the rich cream sauce, even the stronger version becomes wonderfully balanced.

Q2: What are the best kinds of mushrooms to use for this sauce?

The recipe is fantastic with an "assorted" mix. A great combination is cremini (or baby bella) mushrooms for their deep, earthy flavor, and shiitake mushrooms for their savory, umami-rich, and slightly smoky taste. You could also add delicate oyster mushrooms. If you only want to use one type, cremini mushrooms are a perfect all-around choice.

Q3: Why did my cream sauce become oily or "break"?

A cream or cheese sauce can "break" or separate if it gets too hot. This is especially true for a rich cheese like Gorgonzola. That's why the recipe instructs you to take the pan off the heat before you stir in the cheese. The residual heat of the pasta and the sauce is more than enough to gently melt the cheese into a perfectly smooth and creamy emulsion.

Q4: Why is the pasta water so important? Can't I just use regular water?

Pasta water is one of the most important "secret ingredients" in Italian cooking. As the pasta boils, it releases starches into the water, turning it into a cloudy, starchy, and slightly salty liquid. When you add this starchy water to your sauce, the starches act as an emulsifier and a thickener, helping the fat (from the cream and cheese) and the liquid bind together into a smooth, glossy sauce that clings perfectly to the noodles instead of being a watery or oily mess at the bottom of the bowl.

Q5: Can I make this dish with a different type of blue cheese?

Yes. While Gorgonzola is classic, you could substitute it with other creamy blue cheeses. A French Roquefort would be delicious but very sharp and salty. A Danish Blue would be a great, milder alternative.

Decadent & Easy Mushroom-Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Decadent & Easy Fettuccine with Mushroom-Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

A quick and decadent vegetarian pasta dish featuring a rich and creamy mushroom-Gorgonzola sauce. Sliced assorted mushrooms are sautéed in olive oil until browned and tender, then simmered with garlic and heavy cream to create a simple, flavorful sauce. This is tossed with cooked fettuccine, and finished off the heat with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, which melts into the sauce to add a tangy, creamy finish.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Sautéing, Simmering
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound sliced assorted mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces fettuccine
2 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese

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Instructions

Cook 12 ounces of fettuccine in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta-cooking water.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 7 minutes until they are browned and tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the cooked and drained fettuccine to the skillet with the cream sauce. Toss to combine, adding a splash of the reserved pasta-cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese until it melts and the sauce is creamy.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

Reserving some of the starchy pasta water is a key step to help create a silky sauce that clings to the noodles.
Stirring in the Gorgonzola cheese *off the heat* is a crucial technique to ensure it melts smoothly into the sauce without separating or becoming grainy.
Using a mix of assorted mushrooms will provide a more complex, earthy flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 650-750
Sugar: 4-6 g
Sodium: 500-700 mg (before adding salt to taste)
Fat: 40-50 g
Saturated Fat: 22-28 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 50-60 g
Fiber: 3-5 g
Protein: 20-25 g
Cholesterol: 120-150 mg

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/mushroom-gorgonzola-cream-sauce/