Fettuccine with Truffle Cream

Step 1

Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water and place it on the stove over high heat; cover with a lid to help it boil faster.

Step 2

Mince the garlic clove until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 3

Remove the lid from the pot once the water reaches a rolling boil—large bubbles rapidly breaking the surface.

Step 4

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water, then pour in the 8 ounces of fettuccine, stirring once with a wooden spoon to separate the strands.

Step 5

Cook the fettuccine, stirring once every 2 minutes, until a piece bends easily when pressed between your front teeth but still has a slight firmness in the center, about 9–11 minutes.

Step 6

Place a colander (strainer) in the sink and pour the fettuccine into it, letting the water drain completely; set the drained pasta aside in the pot.

Step 7

Place a medium skillet on the stove over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter; wait until it melts and smells nutty with light brown specks on the bottom, about 2 minutes.

Step 8

Add the minced garlic to the hot butter and stir constantly for 20 seconds until it becomes fragrant but does not turn dark brown.

Step 9

Pour in the 0.75 cup of heavy cream and bring it to a gentle simmer—small bubbles slowly breaking the surface—over medium heat, about 90 seconds.

Step 10

Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle in the 0.5 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until fully melted and no lumps remain.

Step 11

Drizzle 1.5 teaspoons of truffle oil into the cream sauce and stir gently once to combine.

Step 12

Pour the entire cream sauce from the skillet into the pot with the cooked fettuccine.

Step 13

Stir the fettuccine and sauce together with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds until every strand is evenly coated.

Step 14

Use tongs to twirl a portion of fettuccine into a nest and transfer it to the center of a serving bowl; repeat for the second serving.

Step 15

Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves over each nest of fettuccine as garnish.