As much as I love very saucy pastas, I did wonder if five different cheeses — plus plenty of butter and cream — would be too much. I worried that the dish might taste more like cheese with a side of pasta, rather than the other way around, but my fears were unfounded.
Garten’s penne manages to be rich and soothing, without feeling too heavy on the stomach.
“All that cheese,” my friend Molly happily exclaimed as she took her first few bites. “It tastes like a warm blanket.”
Molly recommended sprinkling some red pepper flakes on top to cut the richness of the pasta, which turned out to be a great addition.
“But the cheese isn’t overwhelming,” added my friend Joe, who was also on taste-test duty.
And personally, I loved the texture contrast between the crusty pieces and the gooey cheeses, which had sunk inside the penne and would burst with every bite.
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