VEAL AND SAGE MEATBALLS AND PASTA WITH GORGONZOLA-WALNUT SAUCE

Veal and Sage Meatballs and Pasta with Gorgonzola-Walnut Sauce image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 pound gemelli pasta or other short cut pasta
Salt
1 pound ground veal
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 to 8 sage leaves, finely chopped, a couple of tablespoons
1/2 cup bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cream
1 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
3 to 4 cups (1 bunch) arugula or baby spinach, cleaned and trimmed

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt the water and cook pasta to al dente. Drain.
While pasta is working, place veal in a mixing bowl and add to it the egg, garlic, sage, bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil into the bowl, mix and roll small 1-inch balls. Arrange balls in a single layer on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes in a hot oven until meat is golden and firm.
Toast the walnuts and place them into a food processor. Grind the walnuts and reserve.
In a deep skillet over medium heat melt butter. Whisk flour into butter and cook a minute then whisk in wine and reduce by half. Whisk in stock, when it bubbles and begins to reduce, stir in the cream and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer to thicken the sauce a bit, 2 to 3 minutes, melt in the Gorgonzola and stir in the ground walnuts then season the sauce with pepper, to taste, and maybe a pinch of salt.
Shred the greens into thin strips.
Toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve pasta garnished and topped with a generous mound of greens to mix in as you are eating.