Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dried fettuccine
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted European-style butter, cubed
  • 1.5 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
  • 1 cup starchy pasta water, reserved
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 large egg yolks

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Use approximately 20% less water than usual to ensure a higher starch concentration. Cook the fettuccine until it is very al dente, roughly 2 minutes before the package directions specify.
  2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat until it foams. Add the minced garlic, cracked black pepper, and nutmeg. Sauté just until the garlic is fragrant, ensuring it does not brown.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Use tongs to transfer the al dente pasta directly from the boiling water into the skillet. The water clinging to the noodles will help start the emulsion.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat. This is crucial to prevent the cheese from clumping. Add the finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water.
  5. Vigorously toss the pasta with tongs (the Mantegatura technique), adding more pasta water as needed, until the cheese melts and emulsifies with the butter and starch to form a glossy, silk-like sauce.
  6. For the traditional richness variation, quickly whisk the two egg yolks into the sauce at the very end while the pan is off the heat, tossing continuously to create a custard-like finish without scrambling the eggs.