| Tagliatelle with Bleu Cheese ~ Freshly made pasta noodles are tossed with a creamy sauce flavored with bleu cheese and diced dried apricots. The fruit and cheese mixture marries well to give a sweet and savory dish. It is garnished with pine nuts to add texture and taste. The Art of Cooking 2½ cups flour 5 eggs 1 tbsp olive oil 4 oz bleu cheese (Roquefort, Stilton) 1 cup dried apricots ( or other dried fruit) 1¼ cups heavy cream ¼ cup milk 2 egg yolks ¼ cup pine nuts (about pine nuts) ½ bunch chives salt & pepper 1. In a bowl, work together the flour, salt and eggs, to form a soft ball dough. 2. Quarter the dough and flatten each piece. Dredge each piece with plenty of flour. Flour the rollers of a pasta machine, and either pass the dough through the machine or roll it out. If you don't have a pasta machine, just roll out thin with a rolling pin. 3. Continue rolling the pasta until thin. Flour frequently during the process. 4. If available, thread the dough strips through the tagliatelle cutter, or cut into 3/8 inch strips with a knife. Dredge the noodles with flour and allow to dry for 2 hours. 5. Bring to a boil a saucepan of salted water with a tablespoon oil. Cook the pasta for 2 - 4 minutes, stirring with a fork. 6. Drain the tagliatelle and rinse in plenty of cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside. 7. Break up the bleu cheese and force through a sieve with the back of a spoon. 8. Cut the apricots into strips then dice small. 9. Slowly heat the cream in a saucepan. Stir in the cheese and milk. Blend until smooth with a hand-held electric blender. 10. While the sauce is hot, stir in the tagliatelle, apricots, and season again, as necessary. Heat through quickly, so the cream does not curdle, nor the noodles overcook. 11. Mix the pasta with two forks. Remove from the heat, and mix in the egg yolks and the pine nuts. 12. Chop the chives finely and sprinkle them over the tagliatelle; serve immediately. Serves 6 |
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