The four-cheese sauce is a simple and enveloping preparation, born from a few ingredients and slow cooking, without rush. This preparation is born as a cream, for consistency and softness, but can be used as a sauce made of four cheeses to dress the most loved first courses of the tradition. A homemade four-cheese condiment, ideal for coating four-cheese pasta, especially shapes that hold the sauce well, but also perfect for finishing risottos, enriching gnocchi or making special a four-cheese risotto or a baked gratin four-cheese risotto. In this recipe the milk is warmed gently and welcomes the cheeses, which melt slowly transforming into a smooth, velvety and well-balanced cheese cream. The difference is all in the gentle cooking: stirring patiently, never increasing the heat too much, allows you to obtain a creamy and uniform cheese sauce, without lumps, with a full but harmonious flavor.
Versatile and enveloping, this cheese fondue is a true kitchen wildcard, perfect when you crave a cozy, homey creamy pasta, original pizzas or bruschetta: one of those simple and sincere recipes that warm the kitchen and the heart.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make the four-cheese sauce or cream
- 4 oz gorgonzola
- 4 oz fontina
- 4 oz Taleggio
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (or Grana Padano)
- 7 fl oz milk (about 7/8 cup)
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Pot
- Whisk
Steps to make the four-cheese sauce
To prepare the four-cheese cream, start by cutting the gorgonzola, fontina (or Emmental) and Taleggio into cubes. Finely grate the Parmesan (or Grana) and set it aside.
Pour the milk into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat it over low heat, without bringing it to a boil. The milk should be warm, but never boiling.
Add the gorgonzola first and begin to stir with a whisk or spoon, allowing it to melt slowly. Then add the fontina and Taleggio, always little by little, continuing to stir patiently. The heat should remain low throughout the preparation.
When the cheeses have almost completely melted and the cream begins to become smooth and homogeneous, add the grated Parmesan, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.
Continue gentle cooking until the four-cheese cream is velvety, fluid and well bound. If necessary, you can add a tablespoon of hot milk to adjust the consistency.
At the end of cooking, season with a grind of black pepper. Do not add salt: the cheeses are already flavorful. Salt, if needed, will be used only for the pasta cooking water.
The four-cheese cream is ready when it coats the spoon and slides slowly, being fluid and enveloping. If it seems too thin, know that it will thicken a little as it cools.
Storage notes and tips
The four-cheese cream should preferably be used immediately, just made, to enjoy its creaminess at its best.
If it should remain, you can keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
When reusing it, heat it over very low heat, adding a few tablespoons of milk or hot water to bring it back to the right consistency. Avoid the microwave, which could cause the cheeses to separate.
For a perfect result:
-always use low heat;
-add the cheeses little by little;
-stir continuously, without rushing;
It is not necessary to add salt to the cream: the cheeses are already flavorful. Salt should be used only in the pasta cooking water.
This cream can be personalized by replacing one of the cheeses with what you have at home, provided it melts well, maintaining the balance between saltiness and sweetness.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I prepare the four-cheese sauce in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the four-cheese cream a few hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator, well sealed in an airtight container. Before using it, heat it over very low heat, adding a little milk to restore the right creaminess.
Can the four-cheese sauce be frozen?
No, freezing is not recommended. Once thawed, the cream tends to separate and lose its velvety texture.
Which cheeses can I use for the four-cheese sauce?
You can vary the cheeses based on what you have at home, always choosing cheeses that melt well. It is important to maintain a balance between a more flavorful cheese, a milder one and one that helps bind the cream.
How to prevent the four-cheese sauce from forming lumps?The secret is low heat and adding the cheeses little by little, stirring continuously. Avoid high temperatures and never bring the milk to a boil.
Can I use cream instead of milk?Yes, you can substitute milk with cream for an even richer version, but the cream will be heavier. With milk the result is more balanced and suitable for dressing pasta.
Which type of pasta is best suited to this cream?Shapes that hold the sauce well are ideal, such as fusilli, strozzapreti, trofie or gnocchi. Also excellent for finishing risottos and creamy first courses.
