Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutesServings: 4Ingredients:Dried pasta – 400 gUnsalted butter – 3 tablespoonsOlive oil – 1 tablespoonGarlic cloves, minced – 3Heavy cream – 1 ½ cups (360 ml)Freshly grated Parmesan – 1 cup, plus extraPasta cooking water – ½–¾ cup, as neededSalt – to tasteBlack pepper – to tasteFresh parsley, chopped – 2 tablespoons (optional)Lemon zest – ½ teaspoon (optional)Instructions:Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Gently sauté minced garlic until fragrant, not browned.Add heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season lightly with salt and pepper.Reduce heat to low and whisk in Parmesan gradually until smooth. Loosen with a little pasta water if needed.Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss over low heat, adding more pasta water until the sauce coats the pasta.Remove from heat, stir in parsley and lemon zest if using, and serve topped with extra Parmesan and pepper.Pro Tip: Grate Parmesan just before cooking so it melts smoothly into the hot cream, creating a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.