Fettuccine Alfredo

Method

1. Grate the cheese on the finest side of the grater so it falls like snow; coarse or pre-grated cheese clumps instead of melting. Cut the butter into 1 cm cubes and leave it at room temperature. Warm your plates with hot water.

2. Fill a 20 cm pot with the water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, about 12 min, then add the salt. The cheese is salty, so the water should taste a little less salty than the sea.

   Add in this stepWater for the pasta 2½ LSalt (for the pasta water) 2½ tsp

   high heat

3. Add the fettuccine and separate the strands with tongs for the first minute so they don't stick. Keep it bubbling over medium-high heat and cook for 8 min (1 minute less than the packet says). Just before it's done, scoop out a big mug of pasta water.

   Add in this stepDried fettuccine (egg fettuccine if you can) 200 g

   medium-high heat

4. While the pasta cooks, put the butter and half the reserved pasta water in a wide 26 cm pan over low heat for 1 min, until the butter has melted into a pale, milky liquid. Do not let it boil.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, at room temperature 55 gPasta cooking water 70 ml

   low heat

5. Lift the pasta with tongs straight into the pan, still a little wet, and toss. Now, with the heat off, add the cheese in 3 additions with the rest of the pasta water a splash at a time, tossing and lifting the strands nonstop for 1 min 30 sec. It's ready when the sauce is smooth, glossy and clings to every strand like cream; if it looks tight, add one more spoonful of pasta water.

   Add in this stepParmigiano Reggiano, very finely grated 75 gPasta cooking water 70 ml

   heat off

6. Twirl the pasta onto the warm plates with tongs, grind over pepper if you like and serve at once. The sauce sets as it cools, so don't let it wait.

   Add in this stepFreshly ground black pepper (optional) to taste