Homemade Spaghetti with Four Cheese Sauce

A classic Italian recipe that mixes flavors from around the world

Italians are the kings of pasta. They consume 26 kilos per person per year. An amount that doubles the amount ingested by Venezuelans, second in the ranking worldwide.

Pasta is also present in the world gastronomic calendar, specifically on October 25th. It’s not an easy recipe to prepare despite being made only with flour and egg. For every 100 grams of flour, we will need an egg, water and a touch of salt. Once these ingredients are mixed, the kneading plays a fundamental role so that the dough is elastic. Another point to consider is its cooking, boiling water with salt, about 100 ml per 100 grams of pasta, and the right cooking time so that the pasta is «al dente».

In Italy how the pasta is cut is very important for the creation of different varieties, from pappardelles, somewhat wider, to tagliatelles, including fettuccines, linguines or capelli d’angelo (angel hair), very fine and quick to cook.

The sauce also requires its preparation, over low heat. Melt a few pieces of cheese from different parts of the world and top these homemade pasta with a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy your meal!

Ingredients for four people

For the egg pasta

• 400 g of durum semolina wheat
• 4 eggs
• Flour to sprinkle and work the dough

For the sauce

• 100 g emmental cheese
• 100 g blue cheese
• 100 g parmesan cheese
• 100 g cheddar cheese
• 150 ml of whole milk
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Step by step elaboration

1. Sift the semolina and place it on the work surface. Make a hole in the center like a volcano.
2. Add the eggs in the hole and, with your fingers or a fork, mix little by little until they integrate. Knead to obtain a smooth, elastic mass without lumps. Wrap in transparent film and let stand 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Divide the dough into portions and stretch each one of them with a rolling pin on the work surface dusted with flour until obtaining very thin elongated sheets.
4. Roll each sheet, well floured so that it does not stick, and cut thin strips ½ cm thick with the help of a large and sharp knife. Separate well from each other.
5. Take several pasta strips and roll up into a nest, without piling them down. Let it dry.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
7. Melt the butter in a large pan and add the milk. When it begins to boil, add the four cheeses, cut into cubes or grated. Cook over low heat until melted.
8. Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
9. Cook the nests of fresh pasta in plenty of salted water, one liter per 100 g of pasta. The time depends on the thickness of the pasta, but it will oscillate between 4 and 8 minutes.
10.  Remove the pasta from the water and add to the pan with the sauce. Sauté so that it permeates well on all sides and serve immediately.

‘Harmonies in Flavors and Fragrances’. By Juan Muñoz Ramos.

We woke up from the typical winter lethargy with brightness and aromas, to propose this recipe of creamy pasta and in need of acidity, brightness, fruit and freshness. This is the reason to choose S.Pellegrino water, because nobody better than this fine and sapid water to balance and bring freshness to eggs and cheeses.

Next to the water and the dish, a wine winner of all the guides and tastings: the Idoia Blanco, tasty blend of Xarello, Chardonnay, Garnacha and Macabeo, in order to equal body, smoothness and acidity, thanks to the time it spends in French barrels. As you can taste, everything is a union of fragrances, flavors and textures that border perfection, because quality is not only for certain days. Quality, if it provides balance and health as is the case, should be a daily pleasure.

Tips

• The cheeses may vary to the taste of the diner. You can use mozzarella, manchego, grana padano, etc.
• Wheat semolina produces more consistent pasta with more body, but can be substituted for common wheat flour or a mixture of both.
• Leave the pasta below the cooking point, it will finish cooking in the sauce.
• According to the use of semolina or flour and according to the size of the eggs, the dough admits more or less quantity of liquid. If it becomes sticky, add a little more flour / semolina. If it is dry, add a little beaten egg or water.

End this amazing meal with a Red Apple Crumble, click here to see the complete recipe.