Creamy Sage & Cayenne Pasta
This creamy & comforting pasta recipe will warm you up in no time! It’s quick & easy to prepare, and especially great to serve on a cold day thanks to the added cayenne pepper.
And even better – if you make sure to buy the right cheese – this dish is also vegetarian. So it’s a great recipe to save & prepare when you invite over (one of) your vegetarian friends for dinner.
Equipment
- large frying pan
- cooking pot
- oven dish
Ingredients
- 140 g pasta preferably conchiglioni or orecchiette
- 1-2 tbsp flour
- 100 g brie
- 50 g grated cheese
- 30 g butter
- 250 ml cream
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 red onion
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms
- handful of panko
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp dried sage
- cayenne pepper to taste
- ground salt & pepper to taste
This simple, cheesy pasta recipe is still one of my personal favorites. It mainly uses ingredients you already have lying in your pantry anyway, yet, you still get a delicious, comforting meal you can enjoy. My favorite part about this dish has to be the crispy, grilled panko (breadcrumbs) on top. They add a nice little crunch that contrasts beautifully with the creamy pasta sauce.
Instructions
How to cook Creamy Sage & Cayenne Pasta
- Bring plenty of water to a boil in a cooking pot for boiling your pasta.
- In the meantime, dice your onion & garlic, and cut your mushrooms.
- Heat your frying pan with some extra virgin olive oil & add the onion & mushrooms. Once they start to soften, add the diced garlic & 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar & simmer until fully soft. Then transfer everything to a bowl.
- Add your pasta to the boiling water and give it a good stir. Cook according to the instructions on the package.
- Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (for broiling the crust later on).
- Melt your butter in the same frying pan and gradually sieve in 2 to 3 tbsp of flour while whisking to create a roux.
- Once thick & smooth, add in the whole cream, and whisk again. Use (and save) some of your pasta water to add to your sauce to create the consistency you’re looking for.
- Start seasoning your sauce by adding 1 tbsp of dried sage and cayenne to your liking (I recommend about 1 tsp).
- Transfer the fried onions, mushrooms & garlic back to the pan, into the sauce, and season with pepper & salt to taste.
- Cut your brie into somewhat small cubes to speed up the melting process and add them to the sauce. The rind will not fully melt, so if you don’t want that in your pasta, I suggest you remove that beforehand. (I personally really didn’t mind, because it blends in well with the mushrooms and onions in there.)
- Once your pasta is cooked, drain it & add it to your sauce. Stir well to make sure the pasta shells are nice and separated and filled with that yummy sauce.
- Transfer everything to an oven dish and coat it with grated cheese and panko on top.
- Place the dish into your oven & grill the panko & cheese crust for about 5 minutes while keeping a close eye on it, making sure that it doesn’t burn.
- Once the crust is nice & crispy your pasta is done! Grab some bowls & enjoy!
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