Recipe Background
Buttered noodles inspired by a mentor's wisdom, perfect simplicity through fresh parmesan and parsley.
The first time I made buttered noodles was during a lunch with my mentor, Jenna. I remember how she sat across from me at the tiny bistro table, her eyes sparkling with the wisdom of decades spent in kitchens. She insisted on simplicity, saying, 'A good noodle needs nothing more than a pat of butter and a sprinkle of love.' This was a revelation, as I had always chased complexity in dishes. Jenna instructed me to save some pasta water and use freshly shredded parmesan. ‘It’s the way it melts,’ she claimed, and she wasn’t wrong.
We chatted about career aspirations as I stirred the butter into the hot noodles, watching it seamlessly blend with the salty pasta water. She picked up on my fascination with pappardelle, those wide, rippling strands that seemed to soak up every bit of buttery goodness. ‘Don’t forget the parsley,’ she smiled, adding just the right touch of freshness. The lunch became a turning point—an unassuming dish that grounded me in the essentials of good cooking. It was proof that minimal ingredients could lead to extraordinary satisfaction.
And there you have it. From a simple mentor’s lunch came my ultimate go-to noodle dish. Be sure to crack that fresh black pepper over the top just before serving; it adds a delightful finish. Let it rest for a brief moment so the flavors meld together beautifully. These buttered noodles, simply executed but brimming with comfort, always remind me to appreciate the power of a little inspiration and a lot of heart.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
- 8-9 ounces pappardelle pasta
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large pot, bring water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the pasta, while stirring often, until it is al dente, according to the package directions.
- Turn off the stovetop heat.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the remaining water.
- In the still-hot pot, add the drained pasta, the butter, 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, the parmesan, and the parsley and stir until the butter is melted. As needed, add the remaining pasta water, a little at a time, until a sauce comes together and coats the pasta. You may not need all of the reserved pasta water.
- Taste the noodles for seasoning and add the extra salt and the black pepper, as desired.
- Serve.
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