There’s a lot you can do with fresh tagliatelle pasta. In Umbria, they’re topped with shaves of black summer truffles (fancy) while in Basilicata they’re sometimes served in a bubbling tomato sauce.

Still, I think the best way to serve these silky ribbons is with prosciutto and butter. Lots of butter.

In some ways, it feels like a kids meal, bringing me back to the days when my nana would cook pasta for us. The grown-ups ate meatballs and red sauce, but my friends and I would refuse to touch anything that had color. For us, it was pats of butter and parmesan from the green can, please and thank you.

Despite its simplicity, tagliatelle with prosciutto e burro is actually quite traditional, particularly in Emilia-Romagna. Along with ragù alla bolognese, prosciutto and butter is one of the most popular tagliatelle pairings throughout the region.

And it makes sense. After all, this is the region where some of the world’s greatest foods are produced, namely Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Pasta, parmesan, and prosciutto—it’s a trifecta that I’m sure I’ll be eating for the rest of my life, no matter my age.

Tagliatelle with Prosciutto & Butter

4 servings

Prep time: 5 Minutes, plus 1 hour for making the pasta
Cook time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

450 grams of fresh tagliatelle pasta
Kosher salt, q.b.
6 tablespoons butter
8 ounces prosciutto crudo
Black pepper, q.b.
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Method

Prepare the tagliatelle pasta (see tagliatelle recipe here).

Bring a large pot of cold water to boil. Add kosher salt.

In a large heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Add the prosciutto and saute for about 7-8 minutes, or until slightly browned. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, add the tagliatelle to the salted boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes (if using dried pasta, cook a bit longer, about 8-9 minutes).

Using a pasta claw, remove the tagliatelle (reserve the pasta water) and add directly to the pan with the butter and prosciutto. Return to low heat. Mix everything together well, adding in about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to create a sauce. Cook for another minute, until the pasta is glossy and well coated.

Serve immediately with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Buon appetito!