‘Young Buck’ pasta – cheese-maker Michael Thompson’s recipe
Cheese-maker Michael Thompson of Mike’s Fancy Cheese says this is his favourite way to cook his Young Buck Blue cheese: “It’s become my staple pasta dish – try it with any greens, and if you’re feeling flush – add some asparagus when it’s in season!”
This recipe is one in a collection of recipes gleaned by The Courtyard Dairy from the cheese-makers themselves, detailing how they love to make amazing dishes with the odds and ends of cheese!
Ingredients (for four people)
400g farfalle or conchiglie pasta
200g guanciale (you can use streaky bacon or pancetta instead)
1 stem (approx. 300g) broccoli
200g peas
1 small bunch of asparagus
150g Young Buck cheese, crumbled
Small sprig of tarragon, leaves finely chopped
Method
Cut the broccoli into small florets.
Remove the tough bases of the asparagus stalks.
Chop the guanciale or bacon into 7mm cubes.
Add the pasta to salted boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes until ‘al-dente’.
Fry the guanciale or bacon over a medium heat until crispy.
Whilst the pasta and meat is cooking, steam or boil the greens (broccoli and asparagus) for 6 minutes, adding the peas for the final 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta and add in the crispy guanciale, green vegetables, Young Buck cheese and tarragon. Mix well and serve.
Andy and Kathy’s comment
“Really tasty, just the dish for a Friday evening meal. We used pancetta instead of guanciale and it worked a treat! If you’re feeling rather extravagant add a dollop of crème fraiche right at the end, too.”
View more cheese-maker’s recipes here.
Click here to buy Young Buck blue cheese online via mail order from The Courtyard Dairy.