Penne rigate al Gorgonzola, ’Nduja e Cipolla Rossa di Tropea Caramellata
Penne rigate with Gorgonzola, ’nduja and caramelized Tropea red onion, with walnuts toasted in extra virgin olive oil and a splash of Bacchus white wine
Introduction
A bold, full-flavored recipe in which the creaminess of Gorgonzola meets the heat of ’nduja and the sweetness of caramelized Tropea red onion. Bacchus white wine adds a fruity note, and walnuts toasted in extra virgin olive oil finish the dish with a pleasant crunch.
’Nduja is a soft, spreadable spicy pork salami from Calabria. Tropea red onion is a sweet red onion from the same region.
Ingredients
Serves 1 · Recommended pasta: penne rigate, preferably bronze-cut (“trafilate al bronzo”).
- 80 g penne rigate (about 3 oz) — Bertolli was used for the original preparation; Rummo bronze-cut is a good alternative
- 55 g Gorgonzola (about 2 oz)
- 80 g fresh cream (about ⅓ cup heavy cream)
- 15 g ’nduja (about 1 tbsp)
- 20 g caramelized Tropea red onion (about 1 heaped tbsp) — Delizie Vaticane di Tropea
- 8 g butter (about 2 tsp)
- 1–2 tbsp medium-sweet Bacchus white wine
- 15 g walnuts (about ½ oz)
- 5 g extra virgin olive oil, for toasting the walnuts (about 1 tsp)
- Salt, to taste, used sparingly
Black pepper: not used in this recipe.
Method
1. Prepare and toast the walnuts
Set aside one whole walnut for the final garnish. Break the rest into rough pieces, without crushing them into fine crumbs.
Heat a small pan with 5 g (about 1 tsp) of extra virgin olive oil. Add the walnuts and toast them over medium-low heat for about 2–3 minutes, stirring and turning the pieces often so they toast as evenly as possible.
When they are lightly golden and fragrant, take them off the heat and set aside. Add them to the pasta only at the very last moment, so they stay crunchy.
2. Cook the penne rigate
Bring plenty of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the 80 g (about 3 oz) of penne rigate and cook them according to the package instructions, draining them al dente (still slightly firm to the bite).
Before draining, save a small cup of the pasta cooking water; you may need it to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
3. Melt the ’nduja in the butter
In a pan large enough to hold the pasta later, melt the 8 g (about 2 tsp) of butter over low heat.
Add the 15 g (about 1 tbsp) of ’nduja and stir gently, letting it melt into the butter. The ’nduja should release its characteristic red-orange fat and blend completely with the butter, without frying and without burning the spices.
4. Deglaze with the Bacchus wine
Once the ’nduja has fully melted, pour in 1–2 tablespoons of Bacchus white wine.
Stir gently and let the wine reduce by about half, no more. This keeps part of the wine’s fruity notes and aromatic softness, without over-concentrating the base.
5. Add the caramelized Tropea red onion
Add the 20 g (about 1 heaped tbsp) of caramelized Tropea red onion straight into the pan, with the butter, ’nduja and wine base.
Stir gently to spread the onion and blend it with the pan juices. Let it absorb the flavors and reduce a little more, briefly, over low heat.
The onion should blend into the sauce while keeping its characteristic sweet and aromatic balance.
6. Make the Gorgonzola sauce
Pour the 80 g (about ⅓ cup) of fresh cream into the pan and stir over low heat.
Add the 55 g (about 2 oz) of Gorgonzola, cut into small pieces beforehand, and let it melt slowly. Stir until you have a creamy, smooth, velvety sauce, lightly colored by the ’nduja.
Avoid a strong boil: the sauce should heat gently, without separating.
7. Toss the penne rigate in the sauce
Transfer the penne, drained al dente, straight into the pan with the sauce. Stir gently to spread the sauce and coat the ridged surface of the pasta evenly.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the cooking water at a time, until it is creamy and coats the pasta well.
Finish this step (the Italian “mantecatura”) with the heat off or very low. The sauce should cling to the penne without being too runny or too stiff.
8. Add the walnuts and serve
Only at the very last moment, just before serving, stir a small portion of the toasted walnuts into the pasta. Mix briefly, without leaving them too long in contact with the hot sauce.
Arrange the penne on a warmed plate. Scatter the remaining toasted walnuts over the top and finish with the whole walnut set aside earlier. Serve immediately.
Notes from Ma Nouvelle Cuisine
Toasting the walnuts in extra virgin olive oil
Unlike pine nuts, walnuts have a very irregular surface, full of folds, grooves and small cavities.
When toasted in a dry pan, not all of these surfaces touch the bottom of the pan directly.
Using 5 g of extra virgin olive oil for 15 g of walnuts coats these irregularities better and spreads the heat more evenly, even in the areas that do not touch the pan.
Stirring often and keeping the heat moderate brings out the typical aromas of toasted nuts while limiting the risk of scorching in spots.
Add the walnuts only a few moments before serving: this way they keep their crunch and create a pleasant contrast with the creamy sauce.
Why no black pepper
In this recipe, black pepper was deliberately left out after tasting the original preparation.
The ’nduja already brings a clear spicy heat, while the caramelized Tropea onion adds a sweetness that blends with the creaminess of the Gorgonzola.
Adding black pepper would risk making the dish even spicier, without being needed for its balance.
The choice is of course yours, but the original version contains no black pepper.
Choosing the pasta
Penne rigate are especially well suited to this dish, preferably bronze-cut.
Their rough surface and ridges help the creamy sauce cling, while the hollow center holds some of the sauce inside.
The original preparation used Bertolli penne rigate, with a satisfying result.
Rummo bronze-cut penne rigate are the alternative I usually use.
The role of the Bacchus wine
Bacchus white wine, soft and fruity, is used to deglaze the butter and ’nduja base.
Reducing it only by half keeps part of its aromatic character, which goes well with the sweetness of the caramelized onion and offsets the saltiness of the Gorgonzola.
The wine is not reduced completely.
Balance of flavors
This dish is built on four main elements:
- Gorgonzola: creaminess, aromatic intensity and savoriness.
- ’Nduja: heat, depth and a spicy character.
- Caramelized Tropea red onion: sweetness and caramel notes.
- Toasted walnuts: crunch and nutty aromas.
The fresh cream ties these elements together, while the Bacchus wine adds a fruity touch.
The goal is a creamy, intense pasta in which the heat of the ’nduja is balanced by the sweetness of the onion and the smoothness of the Gorgonzola, with the final contrast of the crunchy walnuts.
Allergens
Contains gluten (wheat pasta), milk (Gorgonzola, cream, butter), tree nuts (walnuts) and sulphites (wine).
Also check the ingredients and allergens of the ’nduja and of the caramelized onion you use.
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