Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter

Hello and welcome! Today I have a twist on a classic recipe by Ina Garten: Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter. Ina’s recipe is plain, extra thin Tagliarelle and white truffle butter. I had all the makings for this recipe in my pantry, except I have black truffle spread and spinach Tagliarelle. So we make a few swaps, simple modifications and and we have my twist: Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter. This recipe is so simple, so quick and it’s light enough to be a savory summer meal. Let’s do it!

Truffle Butter

Ina uses store bought truffle butter in her recipe, but I have an easy way to make it yourself. Let 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter sit out on the counter for a few hours to let it soften evenly and smoothly. The one item in this recipe that I consider a pantry staple that you might not have at home is truffle spread. My Mom ordered this brand, Sabatino Tartufi, online for me as a Christmas gift. It’s a great condiment to have on hand. I also have black truffle salt. You can do this without the salt though, just use salted butter instead, or unsalted butter and fine sea salt.

I started small with my addition of the truffle spread to the butter; tasting as I went along, I ended up adding 2.5 teaspoons of truffle spread. This truffle spread is not straight truffles, there are mushrooms mixed in, so the truffle flavor is not overwhelming. But it does mean that I needed to add more than I expected to get the robust truffle flavor I was looking for.

Once I got the truffle flavor I was after, I added about 1/8 teaspoon of the black truffle salt. Since it’s sea salt, the grains are smaller than Kosher salt, so it’s saltier. If you’re using truffle salt or sea salt to salt this compound butter, go easy with the salt and taste after each addition to avoid over salting the butter. Then I covered the bowl and popped the whole thing in the fridge while I got my water going for the pasta.

Pasta and Cream Sauce

Although my Tagliarelle is has spinach in it, it’s the same brand that Ina recommends for this recipe. Cipriani. I have talked about this pasta brand on the blog before, with Summer Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes, I used Pappardelle for that recipe. Tagliarelle is similar to Pappardelle – long strips that are slightly less wide than Pappardelle, but overall the pasta is extra thin. I think this thinness is what makes this a great summer pasta dish.

I have salted my pasta water with some of the truffle salt and started it to boil. Meanwhile, over medium/medium-low heat I have 1/2 cup of heavy cream warming in my braiser. When the cream begins to bubble and lightly simmer, add the 6 tablespoons of truffle butter to the cream. Add a small pinch of the truffle salt, or plain salt, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Stir and swirl to melt the butter.

Keep the cream mixture warm over very low heat and stir occasionally. It will thicken slightly.

When the water is boiling, add the pasta and set a timer for 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Ina notes that if you are not using Cipriani extra thin Tagliarelle, cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente pasta. The extra thin Cipriani pasta cooks to al dente in exactly 3 minutes. So the last 30 seconds of the pasta in hot water gives you enough time to transfer the pasta to the cream sauce without it over cooking.

Since this pasta is delicate, I used a fine mesh strainer to scoop the noodles out of the water, but silicone coated tongs will work too. Transfer the pasta to the warm cream sauce and scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside.

Gently toss the pasta in the cream sauce to coat all the noodles. Pour in pasta water as needed to keep the sauce loose and creamy.

Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter

Serve in wide shallow bowls and top with shaved Parmesan, fresh cracked black pepper and more truffle spread, if you like.

You might think a cream sauce pasta is the last you want on a hot summer day, but this cream and truffle butter sauce is surprisingly light. The truffle butter beautifully flavors the cream sauce, its flavor is complex and savory. The extra thin pasta is also light, and has the bounce and chew of perfectly cooked pasta.

Thank you all for stopping by today, I think this recipe is perfectly at home any time of year, so be sure to pin this one for fall and winter too! Take care and be well, everyone! xo Kelly

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Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter

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Dinner, Main Course – Italian

By Based on a recipe by Ina Garten – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes – Cooking Time: 15 Minutes – Total Time: 25 Minutes

Surprisingly light, this Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter features extra thin pasta with beautifully flavored truffle butter cream sauce.

Ingredients

• Black Truffle Butter
• 6 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 2-2.5 tsp. Black Truffle Spread (like Sabatino Tartufi)
• 1/8 tsp. Black Truffle Sea Salt (like Sabatino Tartufi)
• Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 6 tbsp. Black Truffle Butter
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper (plus more for garnish)
• 1/8 tsp. Black Truffle Sea Salt
• 8.8 oz. package of Cipriani Spinach Tagliarelle
• Shaved Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

Black Truffle Butter

1

Combine unsalted butter in a small bowl with 1-2 teaspoons of the truffle spread. Mix well to fully incorporate truffle spread and then taste the butter. Add more truffle spread to get desired truffle flavor.

2

Add 1/8 teaspoon truffle salt and mix to combine, and taste. Add more salt to taste, if needed.

3

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Spinach Tagliarelle with Black Truffle Butter

4

Bring salted water to a boil.

5

Meanwhile in a large skillet or braiser, warm cream over medium-medium/low heat.

6

When cream begins to simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting and add truffle butter, pepper and salt. Stir to melt the butter and keep warm over very low heat.

7

When water is boiling drop pasta into the water and set a timer for 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Extra thin pasta will be al dente at 3 minutes. The extra 30 seconds will give you time to use tongs to transfer the pasta to the cream sauce without it over cooking.

8

Transfer pasta to cream sauce, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

9

Gently toss the pasta in the warm cream sauce to coat, adding pasta water as needed to keep pasta very creamy. Remove from heat.

10

Serve in shallow bowls with shaved Parmesan, more black pepper and Black Truffle Spread, if desired.