It’s only a few hours into 2017 and I’ve already gotten at least 14 emails telling me how to lose weight. How is it that when the clock turns to the new year, the spam goes directly from my roof and/or my credit rating and heads right for my thighs?
I shouldn’t be that surprised, I guess, since eating more healthy and/or losing weight is at the top of most people’s January to do list. I’m not exception.
But I’ll be damned if I’m going to juice my way through the month. Instead, I”m going to keep doing what I do, just minus a few things. And by a few things I mostly mean wine and bourbon.
In the food department what I usually do is cut back on quantity but not quality. There will be no sad grilled skinless chicken breasts in my future. Instead I tweak recipes and portion size to err on the side of health.
This pasta dish, which I made for lunch on the 1st is a perfect example. It’s still pasta, and it’s still cheesy, but I’ve added cabbage to take the place of some of the pasta. Also I’m using a whole grain pasta for good measure.
I actually make versions of this pasta all year round, using different vegetables and various cheeses. It’s a great way to use up leftovers (which I was definitely doing yesterday), especially bits of cheese. Although I used cabbage and gorgonzola, I’ve made it in the past with cavolo nero or radicchio. And if you don’t like blue cheese, taleggio works wonderfully.
The trick to the recipe, and what makes it somewhat healthy, is to cut back on the quantity of pasta per serving. While 100 grams is normal, I use only 70. The cabbage bulks things up, and the cheese, of which there is quite enough, is satisfying and fills you up so you’re not hungry later.
Happy New Year!!
(that was better than another diet pill and/or roofing email in your inbox, right?)
cabbage & gorgonzola {pasta}
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 2
Feel free to play around with the vegetable/cheese combination. I love using radicchio or kale and any type of creamy cheese - like taleggio or even brie or a goat cheese - will be delicious. Don't skimp on high quality, freshly ground black pepper, which makes a huge difference.
Ingredients
- 140 grams pasta
- 1 medium leek, sliced thinly
- 1/4 head of cabbage, cut into thin ribbons
- 80 grams gorgonzola, but in small cubes
- 1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all the cooked pasta. Add the leeks and salt and cook over medium heat until wilted.
- Add the cabbage, with 1 cup water, and let cook until very tender.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add Pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, retaining 1 cup pasta cooking water.
- Add the drained pasta to the cabbage, turning the heat to medium low. Stir well to mix, and add the parmigiano and half the water, stirring to combine.
- Add the gorgonzola, a bit at time, stirring it well. Add the rest of the water, stirring so that the cheese melts and the water evaporates. When the cheese is melted, it is ready. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve topped with more black pepper.
Sounds good and tasty. However, you don’t have a step for the cabbage. What do you do with it? Do you add it to the large pan and cook it for a while? Do you add it to the pan seconds before you add the pasta, which essentially means we’re eating crunchy uncooked cabbage?
What kind of cabbage? The photos show Savoy cabbage. Do we use that or the more ubiquitous plain green or even red cabbage?
And not to be a grammar or spelling snob, but do you mean in step 3, add the drained pasta? You wrote: “add the drain pasta.”
Thank you.
Oops! Thanks, will go fix it right away. I cut and paste, and obviously something didn’t get pasted!
You have left out the cabbage in the instructions! I presume that it goes in with the leeks. I love cabbage so this looks very good
Where does the cabbage fit in? Is it in a bowl? Raw? Is it cooked at any time? It’s missing from the recipe.
Sorry, fixed the cabbage glitch!
When and how do you cook the beautiful Savoy cabbage?
Sounds delicious! Does the cabbage cook along with the leeks?
With the leeks. Fixed the recipe!
This sounds delicious!
When do you add the cabbage? Do you wilt it with the leeks, or do you add it when you add the cooked pasta?
Sorry, fixed it now!
I’m going to make this tomorrow with regular cabbage since that’s what I have in the house. I’m always looking for new pasta recipes, especially those that don’t need meat.
Any cabbage is good! Just make sure you cook it till very soft. And let me know how it turns out!! Post a photo on FB or Instagram and tag me!!
Hey, what about the cabbage?? JUST KIDDING! Sounds great, Elizabeth, and a bit less on the plate instead of denial is always a good choice. Grazie, and Happy New Year.
deb
Made this recipe for lunch today with my wife. Fantastic and completely delicious, if not a bit decadent with the gorgonzola sauce. Thanks for the recipe. Thoughts on adding some sort of cured meat? Perhaps speck? guanciale? pancetta?
So glad it worked out! My thoughts on the cured meat: I find that gorgonzola is strong in itself, and so I tend not to add any sort of cured meat when using it since I think the flavors would get muddled.