Serves 4
1 pound farfalle or other pasta
1 quart half-and-half
1/2 pound gorgonzola dolce
1 cup Locatelli Pecorino Romano
1 pinch white pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tart apple (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), diced
1/2 cup crushed pecans
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with about a tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook per package instructions to al dente.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Add the half-and-half to another pot or saucepan and set it to a low simmer. Tear off small, easily dissolvable chunks of gorgonzola and add to the half-and-half. Stir softly and occasionally until the cheese melts into the cream completely. (Keep an eye on the sauce throughout the process to make sure it does not get too hot!) Use a slotted spoon or small strainer to skim any undesired bits of blue mold from the cream sauce and discard them.
Add 3/4 cup of Pecorino Romano to the cream sauce and stir to combine. Season with a pinch of white pepper if desired. Add the raisins to the sauce and allow them to plump up while you cut the apple into cubes about the size of the raisins. Strain the pasta and add to the cream sauce and raisins and toss until covered.
Set a dry skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add the pecans, and gently toast them 1 to 2 minutes.
Ladle the pasta into shallow bowls, making sure to distribute the raisins as equally as possible. Evenly scatter the top of each bowl of pasta with the pecans and apples, then garnish with parsley and serve.