Creamy Brie Cheese Pasta: A Simple & Elegant Recipe
Sung Si-kyung’s Brie Cheese Pasta Recipe with Tomato Marinade – The Perfect Wine Pairing
Discover the delightful Brie cheese pasta recipe, famously known as Sung Si-kyung’s pasta! This incredibly simple dish features creamy brie cheese, pasta, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and minced garlic. With minimal ingredients and an easy cooking process, anyone can master this recipe. The magic of this pasta lies in how the residual heat from the cooked spaghetti melts the brie cheese, creating a luxuriously creamy sauce. While the preparation is straightforward, the resulting flavor is rich and sophisticated, with the creamy brie perfectly complementing the other ingredients. It’s an ideal companion to a glass of wine! Today, we’re adding an extra layer of brightness by using tomato marinade instead of fresh cherry tomatoes. If you prefer fresh cherry tomatoes, about 20 pieces should suffice. Abundant fresh basil adds a wonderful aroma, and the harmonious blend of savory cheese, tangy tomatoes, and herbs is simply divine. If basil isn’t available, arugula is also a delicious substitute. Let’s get started with making Sung Si-kyung’s Brie cheese pasta!
Ingredients
- Brie cheese 1 wheel (125g)
- Garlic 8 cloves
- Basil 15g
- Tomato marinade 1 cup (*use 20 cherry tomatoes if substituting)
- Spaghetti 160g
- Olive oil 6 Tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s cook the spaghetti. This recipe relies on the heat of the freshly cooked pasta to melt the cheese, so preparing the other ingredients while the pasta cooks will help you manage your time efficiently. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Adding salt seasons the pasta as it cooks, enhancing its flavor, while the olive oil prevents the strands from sticking together.
Step 2
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. This will achieve an ‘al dente’ texture, with a pleasant bite. If you prefer a softer pasta, cook it for around 12 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, we’ll prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3
We’re using a wheel of Brie cheese for this recipe, specifically ‘Paysan Breton’ brand, known for its good value and creamy texture. It’s usually packaged in a cardboard box, further sealed with foil and plastic. For this 2-serving recipe, we’ll use the entire 125g wheel of Brie. If you’re making just one serving, use half of the cheese wheel.
Step 4
Slice the Brie cheese thinly. Since the recipe involves melting the cheese with the heat of the pasta, thin slices will melt more easily and evenly. You can adjust the amount of Brie cheese to your preference. I might have nibbled on a few slices while cutting them – they’re delicious!
Step 5
Finely mince 8 cloves of garlic. Using freshly minced garlic provides a more vibrant flavor compared to pre-minced garlic. If you prefer not to have large pieces of garlic, mince them very finely.
Step 6
Wash about 15g of fresh basil leaves. The amount can be adjusted to your liking. I used the leaves whole as they were small, but you can tear them if you prefer. Tearing the basil leaves gently can release more of their aromatic oils.
Step 7
As I didn’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, I’m using tomato marinade. Measure out about 1 cup and cut them in half. Including the juice and any sauce from the tomato marinade will add extra flavor to the pasta. If using fresh cherry tomatoes, about 20 pieces, halved, would be a suitable substitute.
Step 8
In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced Brie cheese, basil leaves, minced garlic, and tomato marinade.
Step 9
Pour in 6 tablespoons of olive oil, add a pinch of pepper and salt, and mix everything together. Your pasta should be cooked by now. Remember to reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water!
Step 10
Drain the spaghetti after 10 minutes and immediately transfer the hot pasta directly into the bowl with the other ingredients.
Step 11
Before the heat dissipates, quickly and thoroughly toss everything together, ensuring the cheese melts and coats the pasta strands into a creamy sauce. The key to this Brie cheese pasta is seasoning correctly. Considering the saltiness of the Brie, you might need more salt than you initially expect. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if needed. You can also add a little reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve your desired sauce consistency.
