Linguine with Gorgonzola Cream, Shrimp, and Crispy Lardo di Colonnata

Name: Linguine with Gorgonzola Cream, Shrimp, and Crispy Lardo di Colonnata
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: For the gorgonzola cream:; as needed Milk,; 5 2/3 oz sweet gorgonzola (160 grams); 1 tablespoon butter (about 1/2 oz or 15 grams); 1 splash brandy or cognac (helps break up the gorgonzola texture); xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 12-16 shrimp tails; 6-7 slices Lardo di Colonnata; as needed Extra-virgin olive oil,; as needed Black pepper,; as needed Fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, etc.),; 14 oz dried linguine (about 400 grams); as needed Chopped pistachios,

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

In recent years, Lardo di Colonnata has helped revive and popularize this pork delicacy in the kitchen, after it was nearly forgotten and demonized in the 1980s due to cholesterol concerns, despite being a staple in countless recipes for centuries. Michelangelo Buonarroti was a great fan, and during his trips to Carrara—when he personally selected marble blocks for his masterpieces—he would indulge in large amounts of it. To best enjoy the delicate flavor of this prized cured meat, it's ideal to eat it sliced very thinly on warm bread, just as Roman workers and marble quarrymen did in the past, sometimes on toasted bread with a bit of tomato.

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

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Ingredients

Serves 4 servings

For the gorgonzola cream:
as neededMilk,
5 2/3 ozsweet gorgonzola (160 grams)
1 tablespoonbutter (about 1/2 oz or 15 grams)
1 splashbrandy or cognac (helps break up the gorgonzola texture)
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12-16shrimp tails
6-7 slicesLardo di Colonnata
as neededExtra-virgin olive oil,
as neededBlack pepper,
as neededFresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, etc.),
14 ozdried linguine (about 400 grams)
as neededChopped pistachios,

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Steps

1

Melt the butter over low heat. Remove the rind from the gorgonzola and cut it into pieces. Add the gorgonzola to the butter and stir vigorously until melted. Add a splash of brandy while stirring (this helps break up the texture). Gradually add milk until the sauce is very smooth and creamy. Let the liquid evaporate until the sauce thickens. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
2

In a hot skillet, without adding any fat (the lardo will cook in its own fat), cook the lardo slices until crispy.
3

Clean the shrimp by removing the vein, head, and shell, leaving the tail on. Wrap a small piece of aluminum foil around the tail to prevent it from darkening. Season the shrimp with salt, olive oil, and pepper. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add some fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, or your choice). Bake at 340–355°F (170–180°C) for 6–10 minutes. The shrimp should stay tender and juicy, not dry.
4

Cook the linguine in plenty of salted water. Cut the shrimp into pieces, reserving at least one whole shrimp per person for garnish. Drain the linguine al dente and place in a large bowl. Pour the gorgonzola cream over the pasta and toss quickly, adding a little pasta cooking water if needed to adjust the consistency (it will thicken slightly as it sits). Add the shrimp pieces, chopped pistachios, and pieces of crispy lardo (reserving some for garnish), and mix well.
5

Plate the pasta, topping each serving with two shrimp tails and a slice of lardo for garnish.