An haute cuisine staple, sour butter adds flavor and silkiness to pasta and rice preparations. This recipe for sour butter taglierini comes from chef Davide Oldani, whose restaurant D'O in Corneredo, a town that's 11 miles northwest of Milan, holds two Michelin stars.
The dish itself comes together in 25 minutes – it's simple and flavorful, and a fitting exemplification of how less is more. Once prepared, the sour butter does need to sit for four hours before it's usable, so plan your time accordingly. The sour butter does keep for a few weeks, so once you have a supply in the fridge, this is one of those dishes that's perfect for those nights when you don't want to spend too much time in front of the stove.
Sour Butter Taglierini by Chef Davide Oldani
Skill Level: Easy
Cooking time: 25 minutes + 4 hours resting
Ingredients
4 cups white wine vinegar
4 sticks fresh butter
1 onion, finely chopped
12 oz. egg taglierini
4 cups dry white wine
1 bay leaf
2-3 peppercorns
Method
Cook the onion in a saucepan with the dry white wine, white wine vinegar, 1 bay leaf, and 2-3 peppercorns.
Bring to a boil and keep cooking until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Lower the heat, add the butter, and let it melt slowly.
Once melted, filter the butter through a sieve and then pour it into a container. Let the butter cool, then place in the refrigerator until it solidifies. This will take around four hours, though the butter will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Bring a bot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook the taglierini until al dente. Scoop out some of the pasta cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta. Place the pasta in a frying pan and whip it with 4-5 Tbsp. sour butter and some of the pasta cooking water.
Finish with herbs, pepper, and grated cheese to taste, and serve.
Photography Riccardo Lettieri
Food Styling Joelle Nederlants
Styling Beatrice Prada