Dressy Pasta “Risotto”

Dorie Greenspan’s Dressy Pasta “Risotto” was a hit with my crew. Creamy and delicious, it’s cooked more like risotto than pasta! It’s definitely an upscale mac and cheese.

Dressy Pasta “Risotto”

Will wonders never cease? This is the fourth French Friday dish in a row that’s received compliments from my other half. Yes, Bill approved again. This creamy Pasta “Risotto” is a simple, delectable mac and cheese. Its name is derived from the method of cooking, not the ingredients. No worries, though…this unprecedented record will end soon as Moules Marinière is up in a couple of weeks…and bivalves are on his “will not pass my lips” list. For a more traditional version, check out my Homemade Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

Upscale Macaroni and Cheese

Much speedier than the classic risotto made with rice, but with the same creamy flavor coming from the additions of butter, heavy cream, and mascarpone cheese. Finely chopped onions were sauteed in butter before adding chicken broth and tubetti (small, short tubes) and cooking till most of the stock was absorbed.

The cream, mascarpone, and Parmesan cheese were added at the end to boost the mouthfeel and flavor. Sounds like a marvelous gourmet mac and cheese, doesn’t it?

Recipe Tips 

Dorie, as usual, had a couple of bonne idées, or alternatives when making this recipe.

• Try using elbow macaroni and beef broth.
• Or how about adding dried mushrooms, thyme or rosemary, black truffle peelings or crushed black peppercorns? I would have jumped on the mushroom and herb bandwagon, but then the record would have stopped at only 3 Bill-approved recipes in a row.
• I jazzed mine up with a sprinkling of minced parsley and red bell pepper…not exactly truffles, sigh. Who wants to place a wager on next Friday’s Baked Apples?

Dorie’s recipe for the Dressy Pasta “Risotto” can be found in The Wall Street Journal or in her incredible cookbook, Around My French Table.

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The Recipe:

Dressy Pasta "Risotto"

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Yield 2 servings

A macaroni and cheese recipe made in the style of risotto.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3¾ cups chicken broth
• 1 ⅓ cups of tubetti pasta or another small pasta shape
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 3½ tablespoons mascarpone

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add the pasta, stir, and let it simmer until it has absorbed almost all the broth, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Pour in the cream and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
6. Stir in Parmesan and mascarpone, cook for 1 minute, and taste for salt and pepper.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe courtesy of Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Around My French Table.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 792Total Fat: 64gSaturated Fat: 38gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 2653mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 19g

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