The subtle hum of Black Truffle in this creamy, buttery pasta dish is going to change your life.
Well, not really, but it will change how you look at pasta, and that’s almost life changing to us!
Butter, Parmigiano and Black Truffle oil swirled together with that starchy pasta water to form the lightest, most decadent pasta dish you could make at home. The truffle hum just makes it that bit more special. Think boujee Cacio e Pepe.
Our ingredients:
- Linguine
- Butter
- Grated Parmigiano
- Salty Starchy Pasta Water
- Black Truffle Oil
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Cacio e Pepe meets truffle Butter Pasta
Truffle – what on earth is it?
It’s certainly the bite size chocolates you find yourself devouring every Birthday, Christmas or Tuesday… Essentially what a truffle is, is a type of Fugus, much like a Mushroom – it even falls under this category due to its spore-bearing body. However, they cannot be further away from how a mushroom tastes. Think earthy, umami, and a pungent aroma not too dissimilar to strength of garlic. It does not smell of taste of garlic, but it’s similar in strength- if that makes sense.
Cacio e Pepe, if you haven’t heard of it, is a clever little pasta dish made simply with black peppercorns, Pecorino Romano and starchy pasta water. It’s a classic Roman pasta dish, and if you’ve ever been to Rome, it’s likely you’ve seen it on a menu there – I must add, out there in Rome, Cacio e Pepe is next level. It’s so simple when you break it down, and uses little ingredients – it really allows the cheese to shine.
Our Truffle Butter Pasta is a branch off Cacio e Pepe, it uses similar ingredients and the same type of method – emulsifying cheese, fat and water to create a smooth and creamy sauce. Note there is no cream in this recipe. Truffle Oil is used instead of fresh truffles because a) We’re not all made of money and b) they sell it in supermarkets AND c) it will last for months.
Another dish very similar to this is our Garlic Butter Spaghetti. Similar ingredients, and the same Cacio e Pepe method – think garlic bread flavours, only it’s wrapped around glorious Spaghetti. You would love this!
Also, please check out some of our other pasta recipes below too!
Check out our video on how to make: Truffle Butter Linguine
Follow our step by step recipe guide for: Truffle Butter Linguine
Truffle Butter Linguini
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Tongs
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 150 g Linguine
- 100 g Unsalted Butter
- 30 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tsp Truffle Oil for the butter
- 1/2 tsp Truffle Oil for a finishing drizzle
- 1 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper plus a twist for serving
- 1 tbsp Salt for the pasta water
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil the kettle
- Grate the cheese
- Add boiled kettle water to a saucepan and add the salt. Bring to a boil
Cooking
- Add the pasta to the boiling water, use the tongs to gradually twist the pasta into the pot and submerge.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking add the butter to the frying pan and melt on a medium low heat.
- Once foaming, add 1 tsp of the truffle oil and the black pepper. Cook for around 1 minute to develop the flavours.
- Add two medium sized ladles of the pasta water (approx 500ml) to the frying pan. Stir vigorously to emulsify (combine). Allow this to cook alongside the pasta and come together by reducing down slightly.
- Once the pasta is almost ready (approx 10 mins), add this directly into the frying pan. Add a ladle of pasta water if needed.Top TIp - We need the pasta to be coated well in liquid to enable it to finish cooking in the pan. If in doubt, add the water and start reducing to a nice saucy consistency. See the video as an illusrtration.
- Once the sauce begins to sizzle a little, remove from the heat. Allow to stand for at least 1 minute.
- Add the cheese and stir vigorously until fully combined. NOTE - it will be too thick here.
- Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to loosen the cheese a little and create more sauce. Vigorously sitr this until fully incorporated and saucy. Repeat this until the desired consistency is achieved. For us, it was able 3-4 tbsp. Top Tip - if in doubt add a tbsp at a time and incorporate slowly until the desired sauciness is achieved. it should be quite saucy.
- Finally, add the 1/2 tsp of truffle oil to finish - add this direct into the pan and stir well.
Serving
- Use a ladle and tongs to tiwril the pasta into a nest and place in a deep pasta bowl.
- Add a touch more grated cheese and a twist of black pepper.
- Serve immediately for best results.
Notes
- As always, preparation is key. This dish cooks quick, so get the cheese grated, get the kettle boiled and get all the ingredients within reaching distance.
- Put the pasta on first and cook the sauce whilst the pasta cooks.
- The main element to this dish is how to get the sauce right. Emulsifying the butter and starchy pasta water creates the sauce, the cheese adds depth of flavour and thickens it. A little more pasta water gets us to the right saucy consistency.
- Due to point 3, it's important to really salt the pasta water. 1 Ltr of pasta water requires at least 1 tbsp of salt.
- Truffle oil is strong. Only a tsp or two are needed for a delicate truffle flavour. Add to your own taste, if you like it strong finish with 1 tsp of truffle oil instead of 1/2.
- If the pasta sits for a while it will become thick and gloopy. A trick to bring it back to life is to add a little pasta water and stir it into the pasta well. It will revive the sauce.
