Traditional Lodigiana Mascarpone Pasta Recipe.
A very simple recipe with a special ingredient that, where else but in Lodi, could be the star of a refined first course. It is quick to prepare with just a few ingredients.
A recipe I found in my precious cookbook on Lodigiana cuisine, written by Vittorio Bottini, which I often consult to prepare dishes, taking me back in time. Aromas and flavors, sometimes very simple like in this case, but precious, passed down through generations. Mascarpone, a precious ingredient, not used for dessert this time, as you’re used to, but in a delicious first course. A recipe everyone loves, even the little ones, which you can prepare with store-bought mascarpone or try making it at home ( click here if you want to try, and I assure you it’s not difficult) for a truly authentic delight. The original recipe calls for a generous final sprinkle of Grana Lodigiano, which can be excellently replaced with Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 305.18 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.90 (g) of which sugars 1.74 (g)
- Proteins 8.25 (g)
- Fat 28.27 (g) of which saturated 16.51 (g)of which unsaturated 3.27 (g)
- Fibers 0.52 (g)
- Sodium 507.28 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
With these quantities, you can dress about 7 oz of pasta. For 4 people, double the doses.
- 3.5 oz mascarpone
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 pinch salt
- Half teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Pot pasta cooker
Steps
The preparation of this dish is very simple.
Put the mascarpone, not cold from the fridge but at room temperature, in a large bowl. It should hold the cooked and drained pasta.
With a spoon, mix the mascarpone well with the egg yolk, a pinch of salt, and the nutmeg.
Mix the mixture well to make it creamy. If you’re using store-bought mascarpone, you might need a few tablespoons of hot water (the one used to boil the pasta) to dilute the cream.
Transfer it to very hot dishes (warm them in the microwave or keep them near the stove) and sprinkle with a good amount of Parmesan. Don’t skip this step because this preparation tends to cool down quickly.
This mascarpone cream used to dress the pasta is best prepared at the last moment and not beforehand. The preparation time is so short that it shouldn’t be an issue, even if you never have time to cook. Use very fresh ingredients, both mascarpone and eggs, to achieve top results.
The original Lodigiana recipe calls for short pasta, such as penne or maltagliati, but I find that fresh pasta, like tagliolini or tagliatelle, is also delicious with this delicate sauce.
