pasta al burro e parmigiano

pasta with butter and parmigiano
(scorrete avanti per un sommario del post in italiano)

I grew up eating pasta for lunch almost every day. As a child, I looked forward to departures from the routine (which, in the case of pasta seasoning, was tomato and meat sauce): I looked forward to having pasta al burro e parmigiano. Arriving home after school, I would ask my mother: Cosa c'è per pranzo? (what's for lunch?) and the 'right' answer would bring a big smile on my face.

My preferred shape for pasta al burro e parmigiano is spaghetti, but any shape can be used. Pasta al burro e parmigiano can be made easily and quickly, if the ingredients are available: good quality pasta and unsalted butter and genuine parmigiano.

I know that other people in Italy have a soft spot for this kind of pasta. I have also met a young woman in this country who, thanks to an Italian baby-sitter, loves pasta al burro e parmigiano, which makes me think that the dish has a power across geographic boundaries. To me it has the power of skilled simplicity. When I decided to follow on my mother's steps and make pasta all'uovo (egg pasta), my first batch of fettuccine was made al burro e parmigiano.

To prepare pasta al burro e parmigiano for two, I bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add salt to taste and toss in it 1/3 lb of spaghetti or other dried pasta shape. While the pasta is cooking, I place one tablespoon of unsalted butter into each of two bowls, cut into 3-4 pieces. I also grate an ounce of parmigiano. I cook the pasta until it is al dente (firm to the bite), drain it, leaving a little of the cooking water clinging to it, and divide it equally into the two bowls with the butter. I start stirring immediately, so that the heat from the pasta melts the butter. At the same time, I sprinkle the grated parmigiano on it (also divided equally into two), and keep stirring until butter and cheese are evenly distributed. Immediate eating is required, as the dish is at its best when hot.

This is my contribution to Un Piatto di Potere (a dish of power), an event organized by Lenny of Una Finestra di Fronte. The idea is to talk about a dish that affected our lives. Here is the roundup of the event, presented as the table of contents of an anthology.

I loved pasta al burro e parmigiano as a child: eating it was an utter pleasure that has left one of the strongest memories of my childhood. The delight (in both smell and flavor) of this simple three-ingredient dish transcends the sum of its components.

Hear me pronounce the words on the pasta al burro e parmigiano audio file [mp3] or go to the pasta al burro e parmigiano audio page for more listening options.

Sono cresciuta mangiando pasta a pranzo quasi tutti i giorni. Da bambina non vedevo l'ora che mia madre facesse la pasta al burro e parmigiano. Per questo tipo di pasta io preferisco gli spaghetti, ma si possono usare altri tipi. La pasta al burro e parmigiano è facile e veloce da preparare, se si hanno gli ingredienti.

So che si sono altre persone in Italia che hanno un debole per questo tipo di pasta. Ho anche incontrato una giovane donna americana che, grazie ad una baby-sitter italiana, ama la pasta al burro e parmigiano, il che mi fa pensare che questo piatto ha un potere che va al di là dei confini geografici. Per me, questo piatto ha il potere della semplicità esperta.

Per due persone, io cuocio 150 g di pasta. In ognuno di due piatti fondi metto 15 g di burro, poi ci verso metà della pasta scolata lasciando su di essa un po' dell'acqua di cottura. Mentre mescolo, distribuisco il parmigiano, grattugiato di fresco (30 g, divisi tra le due porzioni di pasta). Quando burro e parmigiano sono ben distribuiti, servo la pasta, che va mangiata immediatamente. 

Questo è il mio contributo a Un Piatto di Potere, evento organizzato da Lenny di Una Finestra di Fronte. Il riassunto, presentato come l'indice di un'antologia, si trova qui.

Da bambina adoravo la pasta al burro e parmigiano: mangiarla era una delizia che ha lasciato un ricordo indelebile. La delizia di questo semplice piatto fatto di tre ingredienti trascende la somma delle sue parti.

Comments

[Maryann]

I love to do this with ravioli! Melted butter on top, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. That's it and it's so good :)

[Paz]

I'd love to try this some time soon.

Paz

[Lori Lynn]

Your simple ingredients make for a rich blog post!

[Christine]

Simplicity at its best!

[Peter]

Simona, us Greeks love to eat pasta with brown butter and some crumbled feta...a quick comfort food for us.

[lenny]

Grazie per l'adesione, cara e per la bella ricetta.
A presto Ciao

[fabdo]

Insieme agli spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino, gli spaghetti al burro sono fra i primi che mi vengono in mente quando penso alla pasta!
Delicious! :)
p.s. ieri il post senza titolo era involontario. Blogger mi ha dato problemi in fase di pubblicazione.
Nessun messaggio criptico quindi ;)

[Simona]

Hi Maryann. Butter and parmigiano are indeed perfect over ravioli, and bring out the complex flavor of their filling.

Hi Paz: this pasta is a nice pick-me-up.

Thanks Lori Lynn.

Indeed, Christine. I hope you managed to get eggs on Thursday. I am rationing mine until this Thursday.

I should try to Greek version, Peter: it sounds good.

Piacere mio, Lenny.

Concordo, Do. Veramente ho pensato che magari era stato blogger a fare di testa sua.

[Marie]

Simona, My kids grew up on this, and still love it today!! Italian comfort food, the best kind, simple and delicious!!

[lenny]

Anche io da bambina mangiavo spesso e volentieri questa pasta dal potere evocativo.
Grazie(e scusa per la richiesta).
Ciao

[katy]

what a pure, simple recipe -- sounds delicious.

[Laurie]

Pasta al burro e parmigiano is also my children's preference for pasta..
lovely post. :)

[Susan from Food Blogga]

Oh, Simona, this post brings back so many family memories for me. Pasta with butter and cheese was the ultimate comfort food growing up. It's utterly simple and utterly delicious.

[Simona]

Hi Marie: your kids and me are on the same wavelength then.

Scusami te, Lenny: avrei dovuto farlo subito.

Thanks Katy.

Hi Laurie, more kids in love with this pasta: it's great to find confirmation of my idea.

Just so, Susan: utterly simple and utterly delicious. I have a couple more of those and will talk about them soon. We'll see if they were brought here as well.

[katie]

We eat pasta with olive oil and Parmesan all the time... Why have I never made it with butter????

[Lisa]

That's just beautiful. I can almost taste and smell it just reading your description.

[Bellini Valli]

This pasta dish is so simple how can it not to be good Simona.I'm not sure if I could come up with a dish that I thought had changed my life but there are certainly many that have added to it:D

[Simona]

I am not sure, Katie, but now that you have received a suggestion, I suspect you will try and make it.

Thanks Lisa.

Looking at dishes for their power is an interesting experience, Valli.