Alpine Cheese Fondue Filling
Meryl Feinstein claims this Alpine cheese fondue filling is one of the “most glorious things” she’s ever made. The fonduta-style filling (a traditional filling for some variations of agnolotti) emerged while trying to develop a pasta filling that wasn’t meat-based. “It’s like a burst of fondue in your mouth—a technical marvel,” Feinstein says. Boasting melty fontina or Taleggio, this recipe will transport you to the mountains of Europe. “It is really unique...and definitely puts you right in the Alps,” she adds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 7 ounces fontina or Taleggio room temperature, rind removed and cut into small cubes
- 4 ounces cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often with a whisk or spatula to avoid scorching. When cream starts to bubble, reduce heat to a light simmer, stirring often, until thickened and reduced by almost half, about 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to the lowest setting and whisk in cheese, a little at a time, until fully melted. The mixture should be thick and glossy, like cake frosting. Remove from heat to cool for 5 minutes. Add butter and egg yolk, then return to the stovetop, constantly whisking over low heat until butter melts and the mixture is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Pro tip: you won’t need much salt, but the filling should be a little saltier than when eaten on its own.)
- Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl or piping bag and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. If refrigerated overnight, let the filling soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using.
Notes
Meryl Feinstein’s top cheese picks:
For Melting:
Fontina, Taleggio (or brie or camembert), gruyère, Comté, Emmentaler, cheddar For Stuffed Pasta:
Mascarpone, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano Pantry Staples:
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano
Fontina, Taleggio (or brie or camembert), gruyère, Comté, Emmentaler, cheddar For Stuffed Pasta:
Mascarpone, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano Pantry Staples:
Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano
Meryl Feinstein
Meryl Feinstein is currently based in Washington, DC, where she hosts events and develops pasta-focused recipes. If you have any questions, feedback, tips, your own pasta recipes you'd like to share, or just want to say hi, she'd love to hear from you at pastasocialclub@gmail.com.
