Tofe al Burro e Formaggio is all about the flavor of Vacche Rosse Cheese! The milk and butter serve as a thickening mechanism to really let the King of cheese shine through. You could use just about any pasta shape, but you’d be missing out. The Tofe shells create mini reservoirs of creamy sauce that coat your tongue with every mouthful. The anchovy breadcrumbs are optional, but add an extra umami richness and a pleasant textural contrast. You won’t need them all, but they will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days to be used on salads, other pasta dishes, or whatever your heart desires.
Ingredients
SERVES: 2
TIME: 30 minutes
- Anchovy in sea salt, 1 (2 filets), rinsed and bones removed
- Breadcrumbs, 20g / 0.7 oz
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tbsp
- Coarse Sea Salt, 2 tsp
- Tofe Faella, 180g / 6.3 oz
- Butter, 60g, 4 Tbsp, very cold and cubed
- Black pepper, 1 tsp, freshly ground
- Whole milk, 120ml / 1/2 cup
- Vacche Rosse Cheese 60g / 2 oz, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Preparation
- Make the anchovy breadcrumbs. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the anchovy filets and dissolve in the oil. Add the breadcrumbs, stirring to coat, and toast until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Boil the water for the pasta, using less than you normally would. You want to the water to have a high concentration of starch to help bind the sauce together later on. Once the water comes to a boil, add the salt and the Tofe. They will be al dente in 8-10 minutes. Roughly halfway through their cooking time, remove 60ml / 1/2 cup of cooking water and set aside. You want this water to cool slightly before you add it back to the sauce, to prevent the cheese from clumping.
- While the Tofe are cooking, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in a pan with the black pepper. When the butter begins to foam, add the milk and reduce the heat to low. Whisking constantly, add the remaining butter, one cube at a time, until the mixture thickens. Once all the butter has incorporated, turn off the heat.
- Using a skimmer, transfer the cooked Tofe to the milk and butter mixture. Add a splash of reserved pasta water and 1/3 of the grated cheese, stirring vigorously. Gradually incorporate the remaining cheese, adding more pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Divide between bowls and serve sprinkled with the anchovy breadcrumbs and additional cheese.
