Sometimes even I am too busy (or lazy!) to cook up even my own recipes. That being said, I still don’t let myself suffer bad take-out or rummage through the pantry for who-knows-what to eat. In this recipe, fettuccine pasta is simply dressed with a little butter and a lot of fresh parsley. The modest combination of the two flavors delivers a full and bright pasta: easy to make – even easier to eat.
Ingredients
– 1 pound fettuccine
– 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
– 2 tablespoons butter
– 2 cloves garlic
– olive oil
– 1-2 cups reserved cooking water
– salt
– pepper
1. Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water until “al dente,” about 9-10 minutes. It should be firm to the bite, but not hard.
2. In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Finely chop the parsley leaves, discard the stems. Finely slice the garlic. A couple minutes before the pasta is done boiling: heat a large skillet over medium heat, once it is hot, add in the olive oil, butter, and garlic. Cook until the butter has melted and the garlic is lightly golden. Reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and add it directly into the skillet. Toss the pasta with the sauce, then add the parsley and toss until evenly distributed. Add some of the reserved water if needed to loosen the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!
* Timing is key to this recipe. Don’t cook the garlic too soon: it becomes bitter if burned.
