When the fall chill hit the air and the days grew shorter, my mom would often make one of my favorite comfort pastas: pasta alla Romano with cream, butter, and cheese or pasta al burro with butter — or as my dad called it with his heavy East Coast accent, “spaghetti and buttuh.” Both of these can be made with dry or fresh pasta, preferably wide ribbons like fettucine or pappardelle.
If you’re steering clear of dairy, see the variation below for pasta alla Romano to create pasta aglio e oli with garlic and olive oil. Or try pasta alla Norma (purportedly named for the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini), a simple Sicilian dish my mom made with the last eggplant and tomatoes from her summer garden. This traditional recipe calls for ricotta salata, a pressed, salted, aged sheep milk cheese with a firm texture ideal for crumbling and grating, which can be found at most Italian delis, cheese shops, and gourmet markets. If you can’t find ricotta salata (trust me — it’s worth finding), pecorino Romano or even feta can be substituted.
Some people don’t like working with eggplant because of its “wet, slimy texture,” but there’s a trick: After peeling the eggplant (if large), cut into cubes, place pieces in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit for 45 minutes; rinse with cold water and pat dry. This draws out the moisture so the eggplant will turn golden brown when sautéed.
Pasta alla Romana (pasta with cream, butter, and cheese)
Serves 4
1 pound fresh or dry wide egg noodles or
pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle
1 stick unsalted butter
(room temperature)
1 cup heavy cream (room temperature)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water. While pasta cooks, place butter in large skillet over very low heat to melt. When pasta is still al dente, drain, leaving at least 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Add pasta to skillet and toss until evenly coated with butter. Add cream and cheese and gently mix until evenly combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with more cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Pasta aglio e olio (pasta with garlic and olive oil) variation: Substitute olive oil and chopped garlic for the butter and cream. Sauté the garlic and olive oil; add red pepper flakes to taste; toss with angel hair pasta and a touch of the starchy pasta cooking water, then top with fresh chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.
Pasta al Burro (pasta with butter)
Serves 4
1 pound fresh or dry wide egg noodles or
pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water. While pasta cooks, cut butter into cubes and toss in a bowl with Parmesan cheese. When pasta is still al dente, drain off all the water except 3 to 4 tablespoons (the starchy water helps thicken the sauce). Toss butter and Parmesan mixture with pasta until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh chopped parsley and more cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Pasta Alla Norma (Sicilian-style pasta with eggplant and tomatoes)
Serves 4–6
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8–10 baby eggplants or 2 medium
eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
4–5 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 ounces chopped fresh tomatoes
(preferably Roma)*
14-ounce can high-quality tomato sauce (I
like Hunt’s)*
1 pound spaghetti or tube pasta (such as
penne or rigatoni)
4 ounces ricotta salata, grated
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
* Substitution: one 28-ounce can of
whole San Marzano tomatoes (crushed
by hand, juice included)
Heat olive oil in a 5-quart enameled French oven or a heavy 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add eggplant and cook, shaking pan or tossing occasionally, until golden brown (about 10–12 minutes). Add garlic and pepper flakes and stir constantly until fragrant (30–45 seconds), being careful not to brown the garlic. Add chopped fresh tomatoes and stir constantly for several minutes. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Lower heat, partially cover pan, and stir occasionally until liquid thickens into a sauce (10–15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook one minute less than package instructions. Reserve one cup of cooking water; drain pasta and return to pot. Turn off heat. Carefully add sauce to pasta and gently toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water to thin sauce if desired. Portion pasta into serving bowls and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil (optional); top with grated ricotta salata and torn basil leaves.
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