Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

Here is an example of using a few simple ingredients and just a few minutes of work to create a delicious dish. Obviously, the quality of the ingredients is important to the outcome, so take care in selecting them. This is very rich, and may be better appreciated as a first course or side dish rather than a full meal in itself.

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH, 6 TO 8 AS A SIDE DISH

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta; fettucine and bowties are both good choices for this

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper

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Instructions: 

▪ Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of cold water, cover it and bring to a full boil. Add salt to taste. Add the pasta all at once, stir it to get it uniformly cooking and set a timer for the recommended time on the package.

▪ While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat and take care not to let it brown or burn.

▪ A minute or so before the end of the recommended pasta cooking time, taste a piece of it for doneness. You’re looking for just a bit of resistance as you bite into it; not too hard and not too soft, but “al dente” or “to the tooth”.

▪ When the pasta is done, set aside a cup or so of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and quickly return it to the empty pot.

▪ Add the butter to the pasta and toss. If the butter needs thinning to cover the pasta uniformly add a little of the reserved water, just a tablespoon or so at a time, and toss. Quickly add the parmesan cheese, toss, and then salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt until you taste it because the parmesan will be salty.