I don't want to start any fist fights with Italians! The base of this recipe is just noodles, parmesan cheese, and butter. There is no heavy cream, chicken stock, garlic, or anything extra that Americans tend to add. You can add chicken if you'd like but I guarantee you'll be pleased with this simple and comforting recipe. This recipe is easy but works best on fresh pasta because the rough surface of homemade pasta absorbs and adheres to the cheese most better than slippery store bought pasta.
How to make homemade pasta: https://brock280.wixsite.com/rachelsfoodblog/blog/homemade-pasta-noodles
The recipe is here and pictures of the process are below:
Ingredients:
13 oz. fresh fettuccine pasta (homemade or store bought)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 oz. freshly grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is best)
1/2 tsp salt (if desired)
Chicken seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in butter (optional)
Directions:
If making chicken: Season it with salt and pepper. Melt about 2 tbsp. butter in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear the outside. After searing, take the chicken out, cut into small pieces, and return to the pan to finish cooking and browning. (otherwise you can just fry seasoned diced chicken, my method is weird, I know). When cooked, place it on a plate and cover with tin foil to keep it warm and moist.
Start heating up a pot of water and add about 1/2 tbsp. salt to it.
Meanwhile in the pan heated to low-medium heat start melting the butter. Take it off the heat when the butter is melted.
When the water is boiling add the fresh pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes or until al dente (slightly firm to the bite but not soft).
Use tongs to add the pasta into the butter and place the pan back on the heat.
Stir the noodles in the butter and then gradually add in the cheese (and chicken if using), stirring as you go.
If the noodles are getting too stuck together, add a bit of the pasta water at a time and mix until the noodles loosen.
Serve with cooked chicken if desired.
Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3-4 servings.
The cheeeeeessse!
The fresh homemade noodles!
Starting to fry the seasoned chicken in butter.
When you get a golden sear on each side proceed to cut the chicken into small pieces (next picture).
After cutting up the chicken. About to finish cooking it!
After cooking the chicken completely. Then cover it with tin foil to keep warm (next picture).
Covered!
Now onto the noodles!
Cooking the noodles.
Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in your pan.
After mixing the cooked noodles into the 3 Tbsp. of melted butter.
After GRADUALLY adding cheese and chicken and stirring in. I also added about 3/4 cup pasta water as I went to loosen the noodles up.