Fettuccine Al Burro Recipe
Fettuccine al burro combines dried ribbon pasta with butter, finely grated Parmesan, and starchy pasta water for a silky sauce without heavy cream. Ready in 14 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 200 g dried fettuccine or tagliatelle
- 50 g unsalted butter
- Reserved pasta water as needed
For the Sauce
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 60 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 teaspoon sea salt. Add 200 g dried fettuccine or tagliatelle , and cook for 7 minutes, checking the package directions because cooking times vary, until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, place 100 g unsalted butter and 60 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated, in a medium bowl. Add a ladle of hot pasta water and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Set aside
- Melt the remaining 50 g unsalted butter in a large pan over low to medium heat.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve some additional pasta water. Drain the pasta, add it to the pan, and toss it with the melted butter and a splash of pasta water.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Pour over the butter-Parmesan sauce, add ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss gently until every strand is coated. Serve the fettuccine al burro immediately.
Notes
Check the Pasta Early: Dried pasta brands cook at different speeds, so I use seven minutes as a guide and check the package directions for an al dente result.
Grate the Parmesan Finely: I find that finely grated cheese incorporates more evenly with the cold butter and hot pasta water.
Control the Consistency: Add only a small splash of pasta water at a time so the sauce does not become too loose.
Serve Immediately: I plate the pasta as soon as it is coated because the butter-Parmesan sauce thickens quickly as it cools.
Nutrition
Calories: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 69g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 1652mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 2110IU | Calcium: 375mg | Iron: 0.3mg
