Buttered Pasta with Crispy Sage and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 poundpasta (any short shape like penne or rigatoni)
- 6 tablespoonbutter
- 12 leavesfresh sage leaves
- 3garlic cloves
- 1 cupParmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Mince or smash 3 garlic cloves.
- 02
Grate 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- 02
While the pasta cooks, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and let them crisp for about 2 minutes, stirring gently, until fragrant and the edges turn brown. Transfer the sage to a paper towel.
- 03
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the butter. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then remove and discard the garlic.
- 04
Add the drained pasta to the butter in the skillet and toss gently. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir until a light, glossy sauce forms. Add more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if needed.
- 05
Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan until creamy. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- 06
Divide among bowls and top with the crispy sage leaves. Serve immediately.
This recipe is all about quality butter and cheese—use the best you can find. If fresh sage is unavailable, dried sage works too (use 1 teaspoon, crumbled into the butter rather than crisped whole). Leftovers reheat gently with a splash of pasta water.