Pasta With Gorgonzola and Arugula

perfect example of Italian cooking, minimal ingredients and quick cooking. Don't mess with this recipe do it as written NO EXTRA INGREDIENTS PLEASE. Bravo Mr. Bittman

I've been living in Italy for thirty years and pasta with Gorgonzola is one of my family's favorite dishes. However, I usually use gnocchetti sardi, which are small, shaped like cavatelli but denser and requiring more cooking time, and I add chopped walnuts, as well as rucola/arugula. The walnuts add another dimension to the flavor and the texture.

This is such a good, incredibly easy weeknight pasta. We loved it. I added crumbled gorgonzola to the plated pasta b/c we can never get enough blue cheese in this house. Unlike the pic, I really stirred the arugula in so it wilted and became a part of the sauce. Delicious.

I used a small red onion, coupled with some chopped paste tomatoes from my garden with the arugula & gorgonzola. Delicious!

A similar dish that's even faster and easier, which I think I also got from Bittman, years ago. Boil up your pasta. When it's al dente, stir in a bunch of spinach, which will wilt down instantly. Drain spinach and pasta, then immediately stir in blue cheese or gorganzola to taste. Dinner!

I have been making this recipe for ages....except I add about two cups of halved cherry tomatoes. Absolutely delicious! And you don't have to be a blue cheese lover to love this.

Try creme fraiche instead of butter and add chopped toasted walnuts - delicious!

I used leftover Cashel Blue rather than gorgonzola, which I assume is not as creamy, so I ended up adding a tablespoon of cream to smooth out the consistency (note I was making a half recipe). I agree it could easily take more cheese. Next time I'm going to crumble in some bacon or pancetta. Very easy, simple recipe for a busy weeknight dinner.

I cooked it as presented plus toasted pine nuts and it was delicious!

I used 6 oz of spinach in lieu of argula and added a tablespoon of cream. Delicious!

Good Italian gorgonzola provides a more mellow flavor, other blue cheese are stronger and do not melt as well... I have tried several with varied success. Love this quick and easy preparation, have added frozen peas and chopped sugar snap peas, walnuts and doubled the baby arugula. Have also used brie instead of the gorgonzola. Delicious as is and has so many possible variations. A favorite.

Icing on the cake - add a few slices of ripe pear in the final toss. Wonderful.

Marcella Hazan adds a little milk or cream to her gorgonzola sauce, I think, to help the butter and cheese emulsify into a smoother sauce.

BTW, walnuts go amazingly well with a gorgonzola sauce.

Fight your instinct to salt the water you cook the pasta in--the Gorgonzola provides plenty.

I made it twice--actually 2 half recipes. I would advise starting with the cut/tear of the arugula--it was time consuming. The second time around, I added pepper to the butter/cheese mixture as it cooked and it was more flavorful. My one complaint--the dish was a bit too salty. Probably the gorganzola. If I make it again, I'll see if I can find one lower in salt than Boar's Head.