Linguine with gorgonzola, pecans, thyme and chocolate
Chocolate and pasta might seem an unlikely combination, but this dish is deeply delicious. The 100% chocolate works like a spice here, providing contrast to the creamy gorgonzola and magnifying the savoury notes of the Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 25g/1oz pecan nuts
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 80ml/2¾fl oz double cream
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú gorgonzola dolce, chopped
- 40²µ/1½´Ç³ú Parmesan, finely grated
- 250g/9oz fresh linguine
- ½ lemon, grated zest only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- grated dark chocolate (100% cocoa solids) or finely ground cacao nibs, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the pecans out on the baking tray and toast for 5 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, place the butter, garlic and thyme in a heavy-based frying pan and fry over a medium–low heat for 2–3 minutes, until everything is gently sizzling and smelling delicious. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the cream and wine and gently bubble away for 1 minute. Pull the pan off the heat, add the gorgonzola and Parmesan and stir until melted.
Once the pasta water is boiling, add the linguine and cook for 1 minute less than packet instructions. Drain and reserve a cup of the cooking water. Tip the drained linguine into the pan with the sauce, return to a low heat and add 60ml/2¼fl oz of the reserved cooking water. Gently stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add a splash more water to loosen if necessary. Fold through most of the toasted pecans, the lemon zest and a good grinding of black pepper.
Serve topped with the remaining pecans and a generous grating of chocolate or sprinkling of cacao nibs.