Tagliatelle with Butter and Parmigiano Reggiano
Make glossy egg tagliatelle with butter, pasta water and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Three main ingredients, 15 minutes, for two to four.
- Prep5 min
- Cook10 min
- Total15 min
- Serves2
- LevelEasy
Short answer
Toss cooked egg tagliatelle with melted butter, then add finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano off the heat, loosening with hot pasta water until glossy. This 15-minute recipe uses three main ingredients and serves two as a main course or four as a small starter. No cream is needed.
A small pan of butter and cheese needs little embellishment. Have the cheese grated before the pasta is ready, keep a mug of cooking water beside the hob and bring everyone to the table before you start tossing.
The three linked ingredients are real Villa Market shop listings: San Remo egg tagliatelle, Lurpak unsalted butter and Ambrosi Parmigiano Reggiano. Water is the cooking medium and becomes part of the sauce, rather than a fourth shopping ingredient.
Tagliatelle with Butter and Parmigiano Reggiano
- Total 15 min
- Easy
ShopMethod
1Get ready
Bring a pot of water to the boil. While it heats, finely grate the Parmigiano Reggiano and cube the butter. Set a wide frying pan beside the hob. For the 15-minute timing, use a kettle to help heat the water; allow longer if your hob is slow to reach a boil.
2Cook the tagliatelle
Add the egg tagliatelle to the boiling water and stir gently to separate the ribbons. Cook according to the packet instructions, until just tender with a little bite. Before draining, scoop out 250 ml of the cooking water.
3Melt the butter gently
While the pasta cooks, put the butter and 60 ml of hot pasta water in the frying pan over low heat. Swirl until the butter has melted, without letting it brown. Add the drained tagliatelle and toss to coat.
4Add the cheese off the heat
Take the pan off the heat and let any bubbling subside. Add most of the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano in small handfuls, tossing continuously. Add more hot pasta water a splash at a time, using about 150 ml in total including the first 60 ml, until a glossy sauce coats the ribbons. You may not need it all.
5Serve straight away
Divide between two plates for a main course, or four small plates for a starter. Scatter over the reserved cheese and serve immediately. If the pasta tightens before plating, toss with another small splash of the reserved cooking water.
Available at Villa Market
Shop the ingredients
Real listings from the Villa Market online shop · in store and online
How to keep the sauce glossy
Grate the cheese as finely as you can rather than cutting it into shavings. Take the pan off the heat before adding it, and work in small handfuls instead of dropping it all in at once. Toss between additions so the butter, cheese and cooking water coat the pasta together.
Treat the water quantity as a guide, not a target. Stop adding it when the ribbons slip easily through the sauce without leaving a watery pool. Keep the remaining water until the pasta is on the plates, in case it needs one last splash.
Three ingredients, two ways to serve
Use the whole 250 g packet of egg tagliatelle for two main-course portions, or divide the same batch into four small starters. The servings control starts at two: increase it to four for four main-course portions, not four starters.
This is a recipe to finish just before eating. Grate the cheese and cube the butter first, but cook and toss the pasta when you are ready to serve. The 15-minute estimate depends on bringing the water to the boil promptly; follow your pasta packet if its cooking time is longer.
Find your nearest Villa Market store, or browse more recipes for another meal to cook at home.
Choose a wedge with our Parmigiano Reggiano guide.
Read the guideParmigiano Reggiano: 12, 24 or 30 Months and How to Use ItCompare Parmigiano Reggiano wedges at Villa Market, from Boni 12 and 24 months to Ambrosi 30 months, with tips for grating, shaving, snacking and storage.
Frequently asked questions
Does butter and Parmigiano tagliatelle need cream?
No. This recipe uses butter, finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pasta cooking water to coat the ribbons, without cream.
How do I stop the cheese clumping?
Grate the cheese finely, take the pan off the heat and let the bubbling subside before adding it in small handfuls. Keep tossing and loosen with hot pasta water a splash at a time.
Does this recipe serve two or four?
The 250 g of dried egg tagliatelle makes two main-course portions or four small starter portions. The recipe's servings control starts at two main-course portions.
Which Villa Market products are used?
San Remo Egg Pasta Tagliatelle 250 g, Lurpak Unsalted Butter 200 g and Ambrosi Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese 200 g are the three shop listings linked in this recipe.
Recipe by the Villa Market editorial team. Product names and pack sizes are checked against the Villa Market online shop. Images marked “AI illustration” are generated with AI from real product photos. Range varies by store.
