Pasta alla Cenere (Gorgonzola and Black Olive Pasta)

Pasta alla cenere is a deliciously creamy dish that's ready in just 15 minutes for a last-minute dinner with a unique twist. Made with Gorgonzola, black olives and infused with fresh thyme, pasta alla cenere is truly irresistible if you love blue cheese.

Pasta alla cenere is that kind of gourmet dish that's so easy to make it can save your dinner while also giving everyone something to talk about. It's difficult to believe that such a simple pasta dish made with just a handful of ingredients can be so decadently tasty.

This is basically a Gorgonzola cream sauce pasta but with the rather unexpected addition of black olives. The olives are the ingredient that gives the name of the pasta - "cenere" means "ashes" in Italian, and the pasta is named liked that because of the bits of olives that make it look like it was sprinkled with ashes.

What do you need to make it?

To make this easy creamy pasta sauce, you need the following ingredients:

Olive oil - Just one tablespoon of olive oil is enough to fry the garlic. You can substitute it with a bit of butter if you want.

Garlic - I use just two cloves because more would take away from the flavour of the Gorgonzola and thyme. Chop the garlic finely and make sure you fry it carefully so it doesn't burn.

Double cream - For the creamiest sauce, use double cream. Pasta alla cenere is sometimes made with full-fat milk and/or single cream instead, but it might not be as creamy.

Gorgonzola - There are two main types of Gorgonzola, Dolce and Piccante. You need the Piccante variety for this pasta. Gorgonzola Piccante is firmer and crumblier than Gorgonzola Dolce because it's more aged. As its name suggests, it's also more piquant.

Fresh thyme - A spoonful of fresh thyme takes this sauce to a whole new level. If you don't have fresh thyme, use fresh rosemary or oregano instead, or skip it altogether. Don't use dry thyme instead because that's more similar in taste to mint and it will throw off the flavors.

Black olives - Any type of black olives works for pasta alla cenere. I often use Kalamata, and the flavour is great. You can mince the pitted olives with a sharp knife or pulse them a couple of times in a food processor. Don't turn them into a paste, though, as you should still see some of the pieces to get the "cenere" look.

Pasta - Rigatoni are perfect for pasta alla cenere, but you can use any other short pasta, preferably rigged, such as penne, for example.

How do you make pasta alla cenere?

The sauce for pasta alla cenere is so easy to make that you can have it ready in the time it takes to bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta.

Here's how to do it step by step:

• Cook the pasta al dente in salted water according to the instructions on the package. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil into a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 minute over medium heat, careful not to burn it.
• Add the double cream and heat it through. When it bubbles, add the Gorgonzola and stir continuously until it melts completely.
• Stir in the fresh thyme and black olives and transfer the cooked pasta to the pan. Add a dash of pasta water if the sauce looks too thick. Season to taste and serve immediately.

A few recipe tips for the best Gorgonzola and olive pasta

• Like any other kind of pasta made with blue cheese, this pasta is best served immediately. However, if you have leftovers, you can reheat them on the stove over low heat. You may also need to add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream.
• You can serve the pasta topped with some extra chopped olives if you like.
• Some versions of this pasta use onion, too. Add half of a medium onion or one small shallot together with the garlic if you want.
• If you want a glass of wine with your dinner, choose a classic red Italian, such as Sangiovese, Amarone or Barolo.

If you liked this recipe for Pasta alla Cenere, you might also like:

Pasta alla Zozzona (Sausage Rigatoni)

Balsamic Caramelized Onion Pasta

Prosciutto Pasta with Rosemary and Honey

Easiest Ever Creamy Prawn Linguine (Linguine con Gamberi)

Pasta Alla Boscaiola (Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta)

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