Beurre Blanc Pasta w/ Brisket
butter noodles but elevated
Beurre Blanc Pasta with Brisket
This was my third dinner for my Brisket 4 Ways series and honestly, this one was such a cozy, delicious surprise. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with making beurre blanc. It’s that secret butter sauce that restaurants use to make pasta taste extra light, creamy, and luxurious without feeling heavy.
I like to think of this pasta as butter noodles, but elevated. Like, no one can make fun of you for loving butter noodles when you say you’re eating beurre blanc pappardelle. It sounds fancy, but it’s truly so simple and good. The sauce coats the wide noodles perfectly, and the richness balances beautifully with the savory, slow-cooked brisket.
One note, if you look at my pictures, you’ll see no shallots (my grocery store was out). But I promise the dish is 10 times better with shallots, so don’t skip them!
Notes:
Don't break the sauce! Beurre blanc can break if the heat’s too high. Keep the heat at medium-low and whisk constantly when adding the butter.
Use cold butter. This helps the sauce stay creamy and smooth.
Beurre Blanc Pasta with Brisket
Serves: 4 pasta bowls
Ingredients:
For the beurre blanc chive sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 shallots)
½ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup dry white wine
⅔ cup heavy cream
Salt, to taste
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
For the pasta bowls:
1 lb pappardelle noodles (or your favorite pasta)
Leftover brisket (see my brisket recipe here)
¼ cup grated Parmesan, for garnish
Black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Start the sauce: In a small pot over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add the chopped shallots and cook until softened and fragrant.
Reduce: Pour in the white wine vinegar and dry white wine. Let it simmer until the liquid reduces almost completely.
Cook the pasta: While the sauce reduces, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Finish the sauce: Add heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and chives to the reduced liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
Emulsify: Whisk in the cold butter cubes a few pieces at a time, letting each batch melt before adding more. Keep whisking until the sauce is smooth and silky. I like mine on the thinner side, but you can reduce it more if you prefer thicker.
Combine: Return the drained noodles to the large pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss gently over low heat until the noodles are evenly coated.
Build your bowls: Divide the pasta between four bowls. Top each with reheated leftover brisket. Sprinkle with Parmesan, black pepper, and extra chives.
Enjoy!
