My 9 year old niece, Etta, is smart and talented. She has an artist’s eye. Our home is adorned with many of her drawings, paintings and sketches. Like most kids her age Etta likes food that is uncomplicated – nothing overly saucy or spicy.
One of Etta’s favorites is a simple recipe made up of only 3 ingredients: macaroni, butter and parmesan cheese – that’s it. This recipe is quick, easy to make and crazy delicious.
We used Racchette (little rackets) pasta which absorbed the butter nicely and was really fun to photograph but any kind of macaroni will do.
Need This
1 pound of your favorite pasta
Butter
Grated parmesan cheese
Salt
Do This
Fill a large pot with clean cold water.
Set the pot on the stove and put a high heat under it.
When the water is just starting to boil (tiny bubbles) add a heaping teaspoon of salt to the water. Give the water a little stir so that it dissolves the salt.
Continue to heat the water until it comes to a rolling boil (you’ll know it when you see it).
Add the pasta and cook until al dente (firm but not crunchy)*
Put a colander in the sink.
Turn off the heat from under the pot.
Dump the cooked pasta into the colander. BE CAREFUL! The water is very hot and steamy.
Shake the colander around a little bit to allow most of the water to drain off.
Put the cooked pasta into a large bowl and immediately add the butter to it (we used 1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons).
Mix the butter into the hot pasta with a large wooden or plastic spoon until all the butter is melted and thoroughly blended.
Serve hot in warmed bowls with the parmesan cheese on the side so everyone can use as much or little of the cheese as they want.
Serves 4. My cost approx $ 3.30 total – about 83 cents per serving.
*The best way to cook pasta al dente is to test a piece every couple of minutes while cooking until you get to the consistency you want. Another way is to carefully pull a noodle out of the boiling water with a fork and fling it onto your refrigerator door. If it bounces off it needs more time to cook. If it sticks, it’s done. GMN