Q: I love Italian food, so my friends took me to Mangia 101 for my birthday. Sometimes I crave the more unique Italian foods I had while I was studying in Italy last summer that are hard to find here. I was very pleased with the selection at Mangia 101. They even had a wine on the menu from the small town I lived in, Montepulciano in Tuscany. I was hoping the chef might share the recipe for Rigatoni Gorgonzola, the pasta I had for my entree, so I could make it at home. It had a creamy sauce with, I think, chopped pistachios mixed in. It was delicious!

-- Shannon Kozee, Athens

A: Executive chef Linda Harrell happily shared this recipe for rigatoni -- thick tube pasta -- covered in a creamy sauce flavored with Gorgonzola and pistachios. Harrell lightly sautˇs the pistachios with onion and cooks down cream until it has a thicker, saucelike consistency. Watch your temperature when cooking the cream to ensure it stays at a simmer and doesn't boil over.

-- Jeanne Besser, for the Journal-Constitution

MAIN DISH

Rigatoni Gorgonzola

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) coarsely chopped, shelled, unsalted pistachios

2 quarts heavy whipping cream

2 pounds rigatoni

6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (preferably dolce), cut into small pieces

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pan on low heat, melt butter. Add onions and let simmer until they just begin to caramelize. Add pistachios and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add cream, increase to medium heat and cook until it becomes thicker in consistency and is reduced by 30 percent to 40 percent.

Meanwhile, prepare rigatoni according to package directions. When pasta is ready, drain well and set aside.

Whisk Gorgonzola into cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gradually add pasta into sauce and stir to combine, using just enough pasta to coat well with sauce. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 1,476 calories (percent of calories from fat, 68), 26 grams protein, 96 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 112 grams fat, 367 milligrams cholesterol, 512 milligrams sodium.

Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us what you're looking for and perhaps we can get it. If we succeed, we'll have the recipe tested and adapted for the home kitchen, if necessary. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, along with address and phone number, to:

Mail: Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

E-mail: menu@ajc.com. Fax: 404-526-5509.