Stretch Your Steak Au Poivre With A Decadent Pasta Pairing

When you order steak au poivre at a restaurant (perhaps from one of these standout establishments in NYC), you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a rich meal. But after putting in the time at home to whip up this dish from scratch (which can take well over an hour), you may want all your hard work to last for more than one dinner. It's understandable if you want to stretch out your steak au poivre, and there's a tasty way to do so that won't make you feel like you're sacrificing on flavor. All you need to do is morph your meat into a pasta dish.

There are a few good reasons this works: In a classic steak au poivre, the protein is encrusted in peppercorn and doused in a sauce composed of cognac, chicken stock, heavy cream, and shallots. All of those ingredients can also come together to make a tasty pasta sauce somewhat reminiscent of a standard cream sauce, although the significant dose of peppercorn can veer your dish in the direction of a cacio e pepe or an Alfredo as well. And when you add pasta into the mix, you turn your steak into a heartier comfort meal that will last far longer than one night.

Instead of following the classic preparation of a steak au poivre, you'll want to cube your meat ahead of time, since you'll be distributing it throughout the dish. Then season your chunks with salt and pepper. Ideally, you'll have whole black peppercorns that you can crack yourself — and if that's the case, set your pepper mill to give you the biggest pieces possible. Once you've coated your cubes, press the seasoning into them so that as much pepper sticks to your steak as possible. Cook your noodles and meat separately. You can go for either short or long pastas, but this dish is delicious with lengthy, luxurious types like pappardelle, linguini, or fettuccine.

Finally, make the element that ties everything together: the sauce. You'll want to start off with oil, shallots, and garlic, just like a typical steak au poivre sauce, and you can grind in more peppercorns here if you like. Use the same pan that you cooked the meat in so you can make the most of any remaining juices, and add mushrooms and veggies like asparagus. Once everything is soft, finish off the sauce with cognac, heavy cream, and chicken broth, and mix it with your pasta and steak. Top off your meal with arugula, a hefty dose of parmesan, and another sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.