Gonzaga macaroni are a tasty first course, easy to make and very flavorful.
This is a recipe that dates back to the seventeenth century, created by the cook Bartolomeo Stefani at the court of the lords of Mantua. It consists of macaroni dressed with an ancestor of pesto, made from dried fruit, basil, cheese and spices, with a tasty and surprising flavor — fresh and very appetizing.
Read how to make Gonzaga macaroni with the easy recipe below, as usual right after the photo 😉
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 11.3 oz maccheroni
- 1/3 cup almonds (peeled)
- 1/3 cup hazelnuts (peeled)
- 2 tbsp sultana raisins
- lemon zest (zest of half a lemon)
- 1.4 oz Grana Padano cheese (grated, plus extra to sprinkle on the finished dish)
- 20 leaves basil
- 1.5 tbsp butter
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Preparation of Gonzaga Macaroni
Place the raisins in a small bowl, add a little hot water and let them soak for ten minutes.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.
Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a conventional oven at 392°F for about five minutes, until golden.Remove them from the oven and let cool slightly, then transfer them to a food processor with the well-drained raisins and the basil, cleaned and dried with a little damp kitchen paper.
Pulse the processor until you have a coarse mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the grated cheese, the grated zest of half a lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, the melted butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Stir well until you obtain a homogeneous, pasty mixture.Cook the pasta al dente in plenty of salted boiling water and drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking water.
Add the pasta to the bowl with the prepared mixture and mix thoroughly, adding a little of the reserved cooking water until you obtain a nice creamy result.
Serve immediately your Gonzaga macaroni, adding a sprinkle of grated cheese and a little pepper to taste.
Notes
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