A gourmet pasta dish that brings together artisan Veneto pasta and the creaminess of four Italian PDO cheeses
Introduction
The pasta tortino with four cheeses is the perfect dish when you want something enveloping and sophisticated, comfort food raised to a gourmet plate. The combination of bronze-drawn Wholewheat Durum Caserecce with a creamy fonduta of four Italian PDO cheeses creates a harmony of flavours and textures that satisfies every sense.
The wholewheat caserecce from Mulino Terrevive, made with Italian durum wheat stone-ground and dried at low temperature, bring the excellence of the Veneto foothills to the table. Their rough, porous surface, typical of bronze drawing, holds the creamy fonduta beautifully, making sure every mouthful is a burst of flavour.
The History of the Four Cheeses and of Wholewheat Pasta
Pasta ai quattro formaggi was born of the cheesemaking tradition of northern Italy, where a wealth of PDO cheeses made it possible to develop recipes that bring out different milks, ageings and flavours. Italian PDO cheeses are a gastronomic heritage unique in the world, with more than 50 protected denominations.
The choice of the four traditional cheeses follows a precise logic: gorgonzola brings creaminess and character; fontina gives stretch and sweetness; parmigiano lends savouriness and structure; taleggio completes it with aromatic, enveloping notes. Together they make a perfectly balanced symphony of flavours.
The wholewheat caserecce from Mulino Terrevive were born of Marco Bigolin's determination to give the Veneto land its value back, growing cereals with crop rotation and without chemical fertilisers. Stone milling keeps all the nutritional properties of the grain, while slow drying at low temperature preserves the authentic flavours that industrial production has made us forget.
Ingredients for the Four-Cheese Tortino (4 people)
Pasta
- Wholewheat Caserecce Mulino Terrevive 320 g
- Coarse salt for cooking to taste
The Four Cheeses
- Mild Gorgonzola PDO 100 g
- Fontina Valdostana PDO 80 g
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, 24 months 60 g
- Taleggio PDO 50 g
For the Cream
- Fresh cream 200 ml
- Whole milk 150 ml
- Nutmeg to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Crust
- Butter 30 g
- Breadcrumbs 3-4 tablespoons
Nutritional Values per Serving
Equipment Needed
To make perfect four-cheese pasta tortini you will need:
- ✓ A roomy pot for cooking the pasta
- ✓ A small pan for the cheese fonduta
- ✓ 4 single-portion moulds (cocottes or ovenproof dishes Ø 10 cm)
- ✓ A wooden spoon for stirring
- ✓ A grater for the nutmeg and the parmigiano
How to Make the Four-Cheese Tortino
Making the Four-Cheese Fonduta
Cut all the cheeses into small cubes of about 1 cm, removing the rind from the taleggio and the fontina. In a roomy pan, warm the cream with the milk over a very gentle heat without ever letting them boil. Add the cheeses one at a time, starting with the gorgonzola and finishing with the parmigiano, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until completely melted. You will have a smooth, velvety cream.
Cooking the Wholewheat Caserecce
Bring plenty of salted water to the boil and cook the Wholewheat Caserecce for 2-3 minutes less than the time on the packet. The pasta must be very al dente because it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta, keeping a generous ladle of cooking water, rich in starch, which will let you adjust the thickness of the cream.
Assembling the Tortino
Dress the drained pasta with the cheese cream, mixing gently to coat it evenly. Add a generous grating of nutmeg and a grind of fresh black pepper. If the cream is too thick, loosen it with the cooking water. Butter the moulds and dust them with breadcrumbs, pressing them well against the sides. Fill the moulds with the dressed pasta, pressing lightly.
Baking and Serving
Dust the top of the tortini with more breadcrumbs and dot with flakes of butter. Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (conventional) for , until the surface is well browned and crisp. Take them out and let them rest for 2 minutes. With the help of a knife, gently free the edges and turn them out onto warm plates. Finish with shavings of parmigiano and, if you like, a thread of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Wine Pairing for the Four-Cheese Tortino
Four cheeses together — gorgonzola, fontina, taleggio and parmigiano — make a dish that is rich, savoury and carries a sharp edge from the blue. Two things are asked of the wine at once: structure, so it does not disappear, and acidity, to dissolve the cream. Power on its own is not enough; it actually weighs the dish down.
The Red We Recommend
Mezzopiano Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore — Italo Cescon — Ripasso is a Valpolicella refermented on the skins of Amarone: it gains body, fruit in spirit and a warm note, but keeps the acidity of the Corvina. It is that balance which makes it work here — the structure stands up to fontina and taleggio, the freshness puts the mouth back in order after the cream. Serve at 16-18 °C.
Want to know more about the grape? our guide to Valpolicella Ripasso
The Sweet Route, If the Blue Dominates
Recioto di Soave D.O.C.G. — Tenuta Trabucchi — If the gorgonzola comes through more than the others in the tortino, the classic route is the opposite: a sweet wine. Dried Garganega brings honey and apricot, and that sweetness against the salt of the mould has the same effect as honey on cheese. Try it in a small glass alongside the red: they are two different dishes. Serve at 10-12 °C.
Craft Beer as an Alternative
Reckless Bock Beer — doppio malto — With aged cheeses, dark malt is a safe bet: caramel and dried fruit stand up to the salt, the seven degrees dissolve the fat and the carbonation gets the palate going again between forkfuls. Serve at 8-10 °C.
Want to know more about the style? dark and doppelbock beers
Variations on the Four-Cheese Tortino
- With pears and walnuts: Add cubes of Williams pear and chopped walnut kernels for a sublime sweet-savoury contrast.
- With crisp speck: Garnish with slices of speck crisped in the pan to add savouriness and crunch.
- With truffle: Finish with a few shavings of black truffle or a thread of truffle oil for a dish more luxurious still.
- Lighter version: Replace the cream with fresh ricotta and reduce the quantities of the aged cheeses.
- With radicchio: Add finely sliced radicchio tardivo from Treviso, sautéed in the pan, for a Veneto touch and a bitter note.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Four-Cheese Tortino
Why use wholewheat pasta for this dish?
Wholewheat pasta brings three times the fibre of refined pasta, balancing the richness of the cheeses. The Wholewheat Caserecce from Mulino Terrevive, with their rough bronze-drawn surface and the authentic flavour of stone milling, hold the fonduta beautifully and add character to the dish with their nutty notes.
Can I replace one of the four cheeses?
Certainly, as long as you keep the balance between creamy, blue, stretchy and aged cheeses. The gorgonzola can be replaced with Roquefort or another blue; the fontina with Gruyère or Emmental; the taleggio with Brie or Camembert; the parmigiano with Grana Padano or pecorino romano (the latter being more savoury).
Can it be made in advance?
Yes, you can assemble the tortini in their moulds, cover them with cling film and keep them in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Before baking, take them out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead to bring them to room temperature. Add the breadcrumbs and the butter only just before baking to guarantee the perfect crust.
How do I stop the cheese cream from splitting?
The secret is a very low heat and patience. Never let the mixture boil, and add the cheeses gradually, waiting for each one to melt before adding the next. If it does split anyway, you can rescue it by blending briefly with a stick blender.
Can I use another pasta shape?
Yes, short ridged shapes work best: penne rigate, rigatoni, fusilli or mezze maniche hold the cream well. Caserecce are ideal because of their particular shape, with a groove down the middle that catches the dressing. Avoid smooth or long shapes such as spaghetti or linguine.
