Theo James’s Burro e Parmigiano

Recipe from Theo James and Naz Hassan

Adapted by The New York Times

Updated September 18, 2026

  • An overhead image of pasta in broth in a white rimmed bowl.
    Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
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Ready In
20 min
Rating
4(30)
Comments
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The simple Northern Italian dish of pasta with butter (burro) and cheese shines especially brightly when made the way the actor Theo James prepares it, using great ingredients and cooking by “vibe,” rather than adhering strictly to exact measurements. His version is adapted from the one the chef Naz Hassan serves at Ornella, a restaurant Mr. James co-owns in East London. There, the dish is prepared with fresh tagliatelle, a rich, dark chicken stock, nutty aged Parmesan, butter from the Alps and a squeeze of juice from fragrant Amalfi lemons. But even without those exact components, this recipe will work equally well in your kitchen if you use the best ingredients you can find — a full-flavored stock is especially important — and cook with your senses until it’s right for you.

Featured in: Theo James Shares His Restaurant’s Recipe for Burro e Parmigiano

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Ingredients

Yield:2 main-dish or 4 appetizer servings

  • Salt

  • 1 cup dark chicken stock (preferably homemade), see Tip

  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted European-style butter, divided

  • 10 ½ ounces fresh tagliatelle

  • 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano (preferably aged 30 months), freshly grated, plus more for serving

  • ½ lemon

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

89 grams carbs; 269 milligrams cholesterol; 1047 calories; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams saturated fat; 64 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 888 milligrams sodium; 31 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

  2. Step 2

    Place the chicken stock in a large sauté pan or skillet, add a bit of the butter and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer.

  3. Step 3

    Add tagliatelle to the pot of boiling water and cook until barely al dente, 2 to 3 minutes depending on pasta thickness.

  4. Step 4

    Using tongs, transfer the tagliatelle to the pan with the chicken stock and butter. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  5. Step 5

    Add remaining butter and a pinch of salt and toss to coat. While stirring vigorously, very gradually incorporate the cheese until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. The pasta should be nicely coated with a creamy, glossy sauce; if you feel like your pasta is getting too dry, add a bit of the pasta cooking water. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss again.

  6. Step 6

    Taste and add another squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt, as needed. Divide among plates and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan on top.

Tip

  • Dark chicken stock (also called brown chicken stock), is made by roasting chicken bones, and often the aromatics, until deeply browned before simmering.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
30 user ratings
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Comments

Gwena

Why not just cook the pasta in the broth? It’s fast and delicious!

DMB

I made it tonight & it was delicious. Used vegetable broth because I do not eat meat & used much less butter. Despite these small changes it was tasty, creamy and looked like the recipe description.

Gmshea1236

Why not cook pasta in the chicken stock?

Dario

@ALH For a main course for 2 with maybe hust a salad, if it's really good, sure. I normally go 4 ozs/person (Italians calc 100gms/person= 3.5 ozs), and it doesn't hurt to have leftovers.

BostonMom

@Gmshea1236 probably to control salt in the finished sauce/dish. pasta simply must be cooked in well salted water in order for the pasta to be properly seasoned and if you have that amount of salt in the stock, and then reduce it, it would be way too salty. if you DIDN'T cook the pasta in a salted liquid it would be bland no matter how flavorful the sauce.

John Mazur

I was cooking this for my kids 50 years ago.

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Credits

Recipe from Theo James and Naz Hassan

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