Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Da Vinci Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Clone)

I’m not sure how we first got onto the subject, but a couple of weeks ago when my son and daughter-in-law visited we ended up talking about the Cheesecake Factory, and our favorite dishes served at this popular restaurant. I've only been there twice, both times having the Thai Peanut Noodles, and both times really enjoying it. My daughter-in-law, who once worked there, said that her favorite dish is the Da Vinci pasta, adding that she would love it if I could find the recipe.

After a brief Google search, I did find a recipe at bigoven.com. Last night I tried it, following it exactly, with the exception of using rigatoni instead of penne pasta because rigatoni was all I had. I really liked this dish. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was due to the inclusion of the wonderfully flavorful Madeira wine that made up of part of the sauce. I made it with the chicken as directed, but I think this would be excellent as a vegetarian dish with the addition of more mushrooms, and perhaps zucchini. At any rate, this is definitely a dish worth trying, and would be an excellent choice to serve on those cool fall nights.

Da Vinci Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Clone)

Slightly adapted from bigoven.com

1 large red onion, diced

1 .5 ounce pkg. Melissa’s dried morel mushrooms, hydrated and halved

2-4 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 cup Madeira wine

1-2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sour cream

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2-4 chicken boneless, skinless breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 pound penne pasta; cooked according to directions

 Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

In a 9” skillet, over medium heat, caramelize the onion in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the onion with a little salt, and cook them until they are a rich brown color and taste sweet. The onions will have a “gooey” texture and excess liquid will be evaporated.

Add the chicken, mushrooms, and garlic to the onions. (Add a little more oil if the mixture is too dry.). Sauté until chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are soft. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, and bring to a slow boil; reduce by 2/3 until the alcohol smell has cooked out.

Lower the heat and once the mixture is no longer boiling, add the sour cream and heavy cream. Stir constantly until melted. Swirl in the butter. Add cooked chicken mixture and stir. Toss with the cooked and drained pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.
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7 comments:

  1. Oh this looks good!
    I used to love Cheesecake Factory. It wasn't much of a "man" place - my son and husband thought it was so-so, but all the girls in the family loved it. I don't even remember what I got as an entree. The cheesecake wasn't the best in the world but we always shared a slice or 2 - usually something chocolate and the dutch apple streusel. I wonder if I would like it as much now???

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  2. This does look yummy! I'd love to try. I've pinned it!
    Come over to my blog and share this Fabulous dish at The Fabulous Fall Party!
    http://mychristmasjourney.blogspot.com/2016/09/fabulous-fall-party-3.html
    Let's Party. You can bring the pasta!

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  3. oh dear, this looks REALLY good! I will try Madeira wine in the sauce, never used it-
    Jenna

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  4. How did I miss this one?? One word. YUM. Definitely making. And I'm all about leaving out the chicken too!

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  5. Sounds really tasty!
    Thanks!
    Michelle

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  6. Perfect for the Fall weather! Can't wait to try it. Looks divine! pinned.

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  7. This sounds so delicious! Creamy sauces with pasta are just out of this world. I know the wine makes a big difference in the richness. I'm definitely going to try this.

    Happy Thoughts of Home, Pattie. :)

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