Ingredients

amount	ingredient
1 lb / 500g	pasta (any size or shape)
6 cups / as needed	water
1 tsp	salt
2 T	butter
1 clove or ¼ tsp	garlic or garlic powder
1 cup	heavy cream
1 cup	Parmigiano-Reggiano, blended or shredded
to taste	black pepper
to taste	lemon juice, fresh*

Process

Stove top

1. set pasta to boil with salt
   • on stove top, you’ll need more water and salt than the recipe calls for; most of it will be drained off
2. in a small saucepot on the stove, gently melt butter and garlic; let simmer on low to infuse ~1-3 minutes
3. add heavy cream and continue to leave on a low simmer; do not boil
4. once pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and drain the water, reserving about a cup
5. add warm cream mixture and parm to the pasta and stir vigorously until everything is melted and has transformed into a creamy sauce, up to 5 minutes is fine
6. add black pepper, lemon juice, and any additional seasonings if using

Instant Pot

1. add pasta, water, and salt to inner pot, stir and make sure all the pasta is covered with water

pressure: high
time: 3 minutes
release: 5 minutes natural

2. in a small saucepot on the stove, gently melt butter and garlic; let simmer on low to infuse ~1-3 minutes
3. add heavy cream and continue to leave on a low simmer; do not boil
4. when 5 minutes of natural release is done, manually release remaining pressure
   • it may foam and froth a bit from the release valve, you can cover with a tea towel or release steam more slowly
5. there will be ~2 cups of pasta liquid in the pot, drain about half
6. add the cream mixture and parm; stiir vigorously until a creamy sauce is formed, ~5 minutes
7. add black pepper, lemon juice, and any additional seasonings if using

Notes

• if the sauce is too thick, thin with some of the pasta water, milk or regular water (whatever you have on hand)
• can also use milk or half and half if you don’t have cream, but may have to cook down longer to thicken
• both the pasta water and parm are salty, so do not add any additional salt until the end, after tasting; at that point, adjust to your preference (I don’t add any)
• Instant pot instructions will make pasta slightly past al dente; if you prefer firmer pasta, pressure cook for a minute less

optional add-ins

• parsley (fresh or dried)
• white pepper
• red pepper flakes
• leafy greens (arugula, spinach, etc.)
• kale, finely chopped
• sundried tomatoes
• grilled vegetables (fresh or frozen)
• blackened chicken
• shrimp