Blue Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts

Ready in just 15 minutes, this blue cheese pasta with spinach and walnuts is perfect for those busy days when all you want is a treat. The blue cheese sauce is made lighter with creme fraiche, and the toasted walnuts give this pasta just the right amount of crunchiness.

How good is that – prep time 5 mins, cook time 10 mins, ready to eat in 15 minutes. A lovely taste sensation as long as you like blue cheese, super yum and an ideal dish in these wild, wet times we are currently experiencing. This blue cheese pasta with spinach is one of the easiest pasta dishes I know how to make – actually my wife, Sally makes it and it is an absolute favourite in our family

No milk or cream required – here we go….too easy!!

Ingredients

250 gms pasta – we like using pappardelle, but you can use any pasta you like

20 gms butter

1 medium shallot

200 mls creme fraiche

100 gms approx. baby spinach

80 - 100 gms blue cheese – we use gorgonzola. You can use any creamy blue

Half a cup of parmesan, grated

30 gms walnuts, toasted, plus more for serving

Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining (this is very important)
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan and fry the shallot over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add in the creme fraiche and cook for 2 minutes until it bubbles, stirring often.
3. Add the blue cheese and plenty of black pepper and stir to combine
4. When the blue cheese has melted add the spinach and drained pasta and stir everything together until the spinach has just wilted. Add a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce and make it extra creamy.
5. Finally stir in the parmesan and toasted walnuts. Season to taste and serve immediately.
6. If you feel that the consistency could do with a bit more “liquid”, add a little more of the pasta water and gently stir

If you are cooking for two, you can save the leftovers to enjoy the next day but make sure you have also saved some of the pasta water as you will need to add some before heating

Serves 4