Skillet Fettuccine Alfredo

If you’re familiar with the cold-start method for pasta, you probably have heard that fresh pasta cannot successfully be cooked that way. We, however, discovered otherwise. The one-pan, no-drain technique utilizes the starchiness of cooking water to build the sauce for fettuccine Alfredo. There are, however, two caveats. First, make sure to use a basic but brand-name store-bought fresh pasta such as Buitoni or Rana, as the noodles separate more easily than premium brands. Second, Grana Padano, not Parmesan, is the cheese of choice here. It is a hard cow’s milk cheese from Northern Italy, but because it’s typically aged less than Parmesan, it is moister and softer, which means it melts more readily and more smoothly. (It also is easier on the wallet.) For the easiest incorporation into the pasta, grate the Grana Padano on a rasp-style grater so the shreds are light and fine.