All You Need Is Butter And Egg For A Simple And Smooth Pasta Sauce

When we think of pasta with eggs or butter, certain savory staples come to mind. For many it's carbonara, that classic Roman pasta covered in a creamy egg-based sauce with cheese, bacon, and black pepper. For others it's Alfredo, with its buttery richness, or even the romantic triple burro pasta, which goes really heavy on the butter. And yet, both egg and butter seem to make it onto the same pasta plate together very often. However, you'd be hard-pressed to find a simpler pasta sauce that is equally rich and creamy.  

So why not try a really straightforward pasta sauce using egg and a bit of butter. Like with carbonara, though this sauce is not nearly as savory, the egg is added raw and gently cooked by the radiant heat of the pasta. As it is mixes with the melted butter, the sauce develops a rich and creamy consistency that coats the noodles. It's a luxurious treat on its own, and it is also really very adaptable, as both eggs and butter act as receptors to a number of different flavors.

Even though traditional carbonara or Alfredo are prepared with longer pasta, this recipe works really well with shorter pasta shapes, like shells or elbows because they often come with ridges that the sauce can stick into. However, if all you have on hand is spaghetti or fettuccine, those will work just as well.

Assembling this pasta is simple. Once the pasta has cooked to al dente or a little softer, simply strain it, reserving a little bit of the pasta water, before returning it to the warm pot. It's important not to understate the importance of pasta water here. Adding some of the water back in will help cook the egg, but also provide the sauce with enough starch to stick to and properly coat the pasta. Next, add in some melted butter and toss until the pasta is coated. Crack an egg over the still-hot pasta and toss as you would if you were making carbonara. If the egg is still a little soupy and isn't clinging to the pasta, add some more of the reserved pasta water and warm the pot over low heat until the eggs are cooked and the pasta is evenly coated.

Technically, your pasta is finished at this point. However, no pasta is complete without some kind of garnish. You could go with a classic sprinkling of cheese, or try something more adventurous like some everything bagel seasoning. The choice is up to you.