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Mascarpone Substitute Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This creamy Italian pasta sauce uses a homemade mascarpone substitute made from cream cheese and heavy cream, delivering the same luxurious richness as authentic mascarpone at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for elegant weeknight dinners, this sauce coats fresh tagliatelle with buttery, velvety comfort that rivals traditional preparations. The dish combines the mascarpone substitute with prosciutto and fresh peas for a restaurant-quality main course.

Ingredients

• 240 ml heavy cream (1 cup)
• 200 g cream cheese, softened (7 oz)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 100 g prosciutto, thinly sliced (3.5 oz)
• 120 g fresh peas or frozen peas (4.2 oz)
• 400 g fresh egg tagliatelle (14 oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 50 ml dry white wine (3.3 tablespoons)
• 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (1.8 oz)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh nutmeg, a pinch
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth and homogeneous, breaking down any lumps. This creates your mascarpone substitute base.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the tagliatelle.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add minced garlic, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

4. Add sliced prosciutto to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to crisp slightly at the edges.

5. Pour in white wine and simmer for 3 minutes to reduce by half and cook off the alcohol.

6. Add the fresh peas to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes if using fresh peas, or 1 minute if frozen.

7. Reduce heat to low and slowly pour the mascarpone substitute into the skillet, stirring gently and continuously. Do not allow the sauce to boil, or it may separate.

8. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a pinch of nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until fully incorporated.

9. Add the tagliatelle to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta, stirring occasionally.

10. Drain the pasta, reserving 120 ml (½ cup) of pasta water. Add the hot pasta directly to the sauce and toss gently, adding pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Substitutions

• For a lighter version, replace half the heavy cream with whole milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
• Use ricotta mixed with Greek yogurt in equal parts as an alternative mascarpone substitute with tangier flavor.
• Substitute the prosciutto with pancetta or speck for different but equally authentic Italian cured meat options.
• Replace peas with fresh asparagus cut into 2 cm pieces for a spring variation.

Tips

• Keep the mascarpone substitute mixture cool before adding to the hot skillet; adding it to an excessively hot pan can cause curdling.
• Reserve pasta water before draining; the starch helps the sauce adhere to the noodles and can adjust consistency perfectly.
• Fresh tagliatelle cooks much faster than dried pasta, so watch carefully to avoid overcooking.
• Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano fresh just before cooking for superior flavor and texture compared to pre-grated versions.

This recipe honors Italian traditions of using rich cream-based sauces while acknowledging the practicality of mascarpone substitutes, which are common in home cooking when authentic mascarpone is unavailable or too costly. The combination of prosciutto and peas reflects classic Italian flavor pairings found throughout Emilia-Romagna.

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