Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi | Authentic Italian Four Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe

Pasta ai quattro formaggi, or “Four Cheese Pasta,” is a classic dish that Italians eat when they’re really in the mood for cheese! It’s a very simple and fast dish to make, as the sauce can be made in a few minutes while the pasta boils.

Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi | Authentic Italian Four Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe

Although penne is the traditional choice of pasta shape, you may want to consider pairing this sauce with fresh, homemade gnocchi. Doing so will result in a dish from Valle D’Aosta, known as “Gnocchi alla Bava.”

Which Cheeses to Use for Quattro Formaggi Sauce

The point of combining four different cheeses into one sauce is to create a balanced, smooth flavor. The most common choices for the four cheeses are:

• Gorgonzola - This powerful, moldy cheese provides much of the cheesy kick in the sauce. You can choose between “soft/sweet” or “firm/spicy” gorgonzola, the latter having a stronger taste.

• Taleggio - This is a soft cheese with a consistency similar to brie. It’s a great cheese for melting into a sauce, hence its inclusion.

• Emmental - Also known as “Swiss cheese.” This is the mildest of the four cheeses, and helps to blend all the flavors together.

• Parmigiano Reggiano - The King of Cheeses, Parmigiano is sort of like the seasoning cheese that helps bring out all of the other flavors.

These cheeses can be substituted but try to keep the same balance of a strong moldy cheese, a very soft cheese, a mild blending cheese, and Parmigiano (which you should really try to stick to). For instance, the gorgonzola can be replaced with a Rochefort, or the taleggio can be replaced with brie.

Watch the Pasta Grammar video:

PASTA AI QUATTRO FORMAGGI RECIPE

Makes: 3 to 4 servings

Cook Time: 20 minutes

For this recipe, you will need:

• Salt

• 12 ounces (340 g) penne pasta, or 3-4 servings of fresh, homemade gnocchi

• 1 tablespoon (15 g ) unsalted butter

• 1.5 ounces (40 g) gorgonzola cheese, cut into small chunks

• 1.75 ounces (50 g) taleggio cheese, cut into small chunks

• 1.75 ounces (50 g) emmental Swiss cheese, grated

• 1.5 ounces (40 g) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated, plus extra for topping

• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, or to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Add the penne pasta and cook as directed on the box, or until “al dente” to your taste. While the pasta boils, you can prepare the sauce.

Note: If you are cooking dry pasta, such as penne, start boiling the pasta before making the sauce. If you are cooking fresh pasta, such as gnocchi, make the sauce first and keep it warm over very low heat while you boil the pasta. Gnocchi only takes a few minutes to cook, and is done when all of the pieces float to the surface of the water.

In a large pan, melt the butter over medium/low heat. Once the butter is melted, turn the heat down to low and add the gorgonzola, taleggio, Swiss cheese, and about half the milk. Stir until the cheeses have completely melted, then stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Gradually stir more milk into the sauce until you achieve a consistency you like; the sauce can be made thicker by using less milk or thinner by using more.

At this point, the sauce is done. Keep it warm over very low heat while the pasta cooks, giving it a quick stir every now and then.

When the pasta is al dente, turn the sauce heat up to medium/low and use a slotted ladle to transfer the pasta into the sauce. Stir all together until the pasta is fully coated in cheesy sauce. Serve and eat immediately, topped with some extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Buon appetito!