This is a fast, elegant sauce that turns a small wedge of gorgonzola into dinner. The cheese melts into butter and cream to coat pasta, with walnuts for texture and body. A weeknight meal that tastes like you tried.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1110 calories a serving, 34 g protein, 96 g carbohydrate, 67 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add 8 oz of pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, toast 1/2 cup of walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant. Tip onto a cutting board and chop roughly.3 min
3. Mince 1 garlic clove. In the same skillet over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute until soft.1 min
4. Pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Crumble 4 oz of gorgonzola into the pan, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper.2 min
5. Add the drained pasta and walnuts to the sauce. Toss gently, adding pasta water a tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce if it seems thick. The pasta should be silky and lightly coated.

Note Swap walnuts for toasted pine nuts or hazelnuts if you have them. Leftovers keep refrigerated for two days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a sharp green salad dressed in lemon and oil, and crusty bread to wipe the plate.