Tasty Tuesdays : Two-Cheese Pasta

Nom nom nom. Can you hear my stomach growling at the sound of the name? Oh, wait, I just made the sound of eating. It's actually gggrrrrr I'm hooongggrrreeee. Okay, anyway, I made this cheese linguine a couple weeks ago for a weeknight dinner. I was so glad it didn't take a long time. I've been known to over-extend and not get dinner on the table until 9 or 10 (once even 11, eek!) Chris will surely remember that dinner, as it was by far the worst meatloaf we've ever eaten.

Back to it. I found this Linguine with Two-Cheese Sauce from Tracey's Culinary Adventures. Tracey originally found this recipe in Cooking Light.

Linguine with Two-Cheese Sauce
from Cooking Light, July 2011

INGREDIENTS
8 oz linguine
1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 oz shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

YOUR TASK
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain and set aside in a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat.  Add the flour to the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes (or until the mixture darkens slightly), whisking constantly.  Whisk in the milk, 2 teaspoons of the basil, the salt, and the pepper.  Continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently.  Turn off the heat under the pot and add 1 1/2 oz of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the mascarpone cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and toss to coat.  Garnish with the remaining basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving. 

Enjoy!

recipe and images: Tracey's Culinary Adventures