Quattro Formaggio, porcini e tartufo!

Four cheese sauce with prawns, porcini, mix tomatoes, sage and truffle oil!

(serves 2) 

Ok, so this was a little elaborate, which was kind of strange considering there was virtually nothing left in the fridge except for a few random chunks of cheese and a packet of tomato medley mix! Thankfully i have a reasonably well-stocked pantry and a few things in the freezer so i didn't have to venture out in the rain. 

Definitely one of the best ways for me to unwind is to put all my focus into making a delicious meal with music in the background and a nice glass or 2 of red.. what a great way to finish the week!

Note to self: Goats cheese does not work in a cheese sauce, it just doesn't quite melt properly, ended up needing to sift the sauce... so i've recommended mascarpone or ricotta instead. 

Still, it was delicious. Nothing beats porcini and truffle oil. 

Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: 30 min


Ingredients:
50g Gorgonzola
50g Brie
50g Pecorino or parmigiano
50g Mascarpone or ricotta

8 Cherry or mix tomatoes
10 Prawns
1/2 Spanish onion, finely diced
20g Dried Porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1/2 C water
Small bunch of sage leaves
3 Garlic cloves
1/4 Lime + rind, optional
200mL Vegetable stock
50-100mL Cream
2-3 T Flour
200g Dried pasta (casarecce or penne)
15-20g Butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 T white truffle oil


Method:
1. Soak the porcini mushrooms, and defrost the prawns in cold, salted water.
2. Finely dice 2 garlic cloves (for prawns), and thinly slice 1 garlic clove. Finely dice half the sage leaves. 
3. Drain the prawns, then marinate in the diced garlic, sage, rind and juice of the lime, salt, pepper and olive oil.

4. Remove the porcini mushrooms from the water. Use the porcini stock and combine with the vegetable stock and bring to the boil in a medium-sized pot.
5. Add in the cream, then roughly chop the cheese and add into the stock, stir continuously until it is smooth. Sift the flour in 1T at a time, stirring vigorously to remove any lumps. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Meanwhile, heat a fry pan with the butter and 2 tsp olive oil, add in the garlic slices, porcini mushrooms, sage and spanish onion. Lightly salt everything.
NB. It's best to keep each ingredient separate in the pan initially so the butter can enhance the flavour of each. Then combine the onions, mushrooms and garlic, but leave the sage separate.

7. Remove the sage when it becomes crispy and let it drain on a paper towel. Add the prawns into the frypan and remove from the pan when they go pink.
8. Halve the cherry tomatoes, or if they are bite-size then leave them whole. Add into the fry pan and cook until they start to soften slightly then take the pan off the heat.
9. Boil water, salt generously then add the pasta in and cook until al dente.
10. Add the cheese sauce to the fry pan, stir in the prawns and add in the pasta. Coat the pasta in the cheese sauce, remove the pan from the heat and drizzle the truffle oil on top and mix in. Serve with crisp sage leaves on top.