Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (454g) Dried Pasta (Short shapes like Penne, Cavatappi, or Fusilli)
  • 2 tbsp Sea Salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) Reserved Starchy Pasta Water
  • 4 oz (115g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened and cubed
  • 4 tbsp (56g) Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1.5 cups (150g) Mozzarella Cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 cup (100g) Sharp Yellow Cheddar, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup (50g) Grated Parmesan

Instructions:

  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add 2 tbsp of sea salt.
  2. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package directions to achieve a 'True Al Dente' texture.
  3. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the cloudy, starchy pasta water from the pot.
  4. Drain the pasta in a colander.
  5. In the warm pot, combine the butter, cream cheese, garlic powder, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the cream cheese and butter have melted into a smooth liquid base.
  6. Add the cooked pasta back into the pot. While off the heat, gradually fold in the freshly grated mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan, adding more pasta water as needed to create a glossy, velvety emulsion.