Merciful God, You are great in compassion and Your tenderness for us is without measure. We ask You to give us today our daily bread, and also provide for the needs of all of Your hungry children around the world. Through Christ Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Bucatini and Fontina Cheese Sauce

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There is nothing like ten days of junk food to make you crave something good. Not that every meal has been junk food, but there's been a lot of junk thrown in to our diets (Christmas cookies for breakfast, chips and dip for lunch...) over the past few weeks. On Friday I wanted something simple, but rib-sticking, and, of course, meatless.

I remembered this sauce that I made almost a year ago and gave it another whirl. It is so good, and with a drizzle of marinara -- or a puddle in the middle as I did (just enough that when you start twirling the pasta the sauce turns pink) -- and a sprinkle of basil, it tasted healthy. A salad helped (although the garlic bread did not). This is such an easy recipe, I need to make it more often. It's yummy enough, and pretty enough though, to serve to company.

I would also like to try this recipe with some healthier pasta. I think the sauce is thick enough and tasty enough to hold up to those firmer and stronger-tasting pastas.




Fontina Cheese Sauce

5 T. unsalted butter, divided

2 T. chopped red onion
one clove garlic minced
8 ounces fontina cheese, cut in small cubes
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. Marinara sauce, hot
1 T. chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add a pound of desired pasta, and cook until tender.
Once the pasta goes into the pot, start the sauce,
as you want the pasta to be done first.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic, and cook for a few minutes, until tender.
Stir in the cream, and heat to almost a boil.
Gradually mix in the Fontina and Parmesan cheeses, being careful not to boil.
Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat immediately, or the sauce may clump.
Place pasta into serving dishes, and spoon the sauce over it.
Drizzle with a few tablespoons marinara.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil.


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