Culture Magazine

48 culturecheesemag.com C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 PASTA WITH ROQUEFORT AND BROCCOLI RABE Written and photographed by Caroline Schiff Glow up mac and cheese! This dish is rich and luxurious. Leafy greens and Roquefort work beautifully together, so why not let them get cozy with some pasta? This can be assembled and refrigerated a day ahead of time; just bake and serve. Serves 4 Kosher salt 12 ounces dry tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or penne 1 bunch broccoli rabe, thick stems removed and roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces 8 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic, grated Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste 8 ounces crumbled Roquefort Zest of 1 lemon ► Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt generously. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. When there is 1 minute of cooking time remaining, scoop out about ½ cup of pasta water and set aside. Then add broccoli rabe to pot, allowing it to blanch for 1 minute, before carefully draining everything into a colander. Set aside. Return empty pot to stovetop. Over medium heat melt butter and add grated garlic, stirring frequently. Don't let it brown. When it starts to sizzle, add black pepper and let cook for 30 seconds. Add pasta water, bring mixture to a boil, then add cream; reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cooked pasta and broccoli rabe with chili flakes, then fold in half of Roquefort and lemon zest. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes, allowing sauce to thicken and cheese to melt fully. Transfer to a 9-inch baking dish, top with remaining Roquefort, transfer to oven, and bake until bubbling, about 10 minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize the top, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn. Serve immediately. TOMATO BRAISED CHICKPEAS WITH QUESO FRESCO AND LIME Written by Whitney Otawka Queso fresco shows off its versatility by adding texture and body to this deeply satisfying one-pot meal. Serves 4 3 tablespoons olive oil 1½ teaspoons chili powder ½ teaspoon ground fennel seed 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup tomatoes, diced 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cooked chickpeas 1½ cups tomato puree 1½ cups queso fresco, cubed 1½ teaspoons kosher salt Chopped cilantro Lime wedges Toasted naan or other flatbread Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chili powder and fennel seed, cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add onion, tomato, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomato puree, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in queso fresco and salt. Cook for an additional minute. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve with naan on the side. Pasta with Roquefort and Broccoli Rabe

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