Linguine, Walnuts, Cream, Vodka, Gorgonzola and Sorrel

Simple, boozy, creamy and sorrel is available most of the year round (at least in some form). For this dish I used common sorrel but it would work well with wood sorrel or sheeps ear too. It's that acidic taste that adds to this dish. Similarly if you want to make this dish without sorrel, lemon zest works perfectly as a replacement.
I first tried a rendition of this dish at one of my favourite restaurants- Trattoria Anna Maria on Via delle belle arti in Bologna which contained some combination of gnocchi, vodka and gorgonzola. A haven for freshly made pasta and quite famous because of it, obviously there's no way on earth I could replicate it without importing produce from Italy! The key to this cheap knock off is buying decent quality pasta, and yes it will work with most shapes (don't tell Italy I said that...)

Ingredients: 

Linguine 

Walnuts 

Cream

Vodka

Gorgonzola 

Cracked black pepper 

Half decent quality vodka 

4-5 Sorrel leaves, thinly sliced

Salt 

Veg stock

Butter 

Olive oil

1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced 

n.b. I'm not putting quantities for this dish as it depends on a lot of different factors as to how the consistency will come together. 

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius
• Put about a handful of walnuts onto a baking tray and toast for 5-7 minutes (check regularly to ensure that they don't burn)
• Crush them with your hands roughly and put to one side  
• Cook your linguine in boiling water until it is al dente
• Drain and toss some olive oil through it to prevent it sticking together
• Warm up a little olive oil and a knob of butter in a frying pan along with the garlic
• Once the butter has melted, add a glug of vodka (try not to set the pan on fire..although sometimes it's inevitable!) 
• Once the alcohol has burnt off, add some cream, a crumbled veg stock cube, 1tbsp sorrel leaves, a couple tablespoons of gorgonzola and the black pepper and turn the heat up to allow it to reduce
• Once it has reduced to a sauce consistency, add into the pan the cooked pasta, the toasted walnuts and the rest of the sorrel leaves 
• Stir or toss to coat pasta evenly and serve immediately

If the sauce splits while you are reducing it, whisk some more cream into it whilst heating gently