Description
Classic Fettuccine Alfredo features perfectly cooked fettuccine pasta tossed in a rich and creamy sauce made from butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This simple yet indulgent Italian favorite is finished with a touch of black pepper and optional fresh parsley, delivering a silky smooth dish that’s quick to prepare and irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
Sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, very finely minced (eschallot in Australia)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package recommends (approximately 11 minutes if the package says 12 minutes), ensuring the pasta remains firm but cooked through.
- Melt Butter: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium-high heat to prepare for the sauce base.
- Sauté Shallots: Add the minced shallots to the melted butter and sauté for 2 minutes or until they become tender, releasing their sweet and delicate flavor.
- Add Cream and Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Incorporate Cheese and Seasoning: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and black pepper until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Reserve Pasta Water and Drain Pasta: Before draining, scoop out 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water plus an extra mugful just in case. Then drain the pasta using a colander.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Transfer the drained pasta and the reserved 1/4 cup pasta water to the pan with the sauce. Return the pan to medium-high heat and gently toss the pasta to coat evenly, allowing the sauce to emulsify and cling to the noodles for about 1 minute. If the sauce thickens too much, add a small amount of the extra reserved pasta water to restore silkiness.
- Serve: Remove from heat and immediately plate the pasta. Garnish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley if desired for added flavor and color. Serve warm.
Notes
- Shallots in America are called Eschallots in Australia and have a stronger, sweeter flavor than regular onions. You may substitute with 1/4 cup finely minced brown or white onion if needed.
- Light cream can be used instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce, though the texture and richness will differ.
- Parmigiano Reggiano has a deeper, nuttier, and more complex flavor compared to generic parmesan and is highly recommended for optimal taste.
- Ensure the Parmigiano Reggiano is freshly and finely grated to avoid a grainy sauce; pre-grated cheese usually results in a less smooth texture.
- Cooking pasta until just al dente is crucial as it will continue to cook slightly when tossed with the sauce, preventing overcooking.
- A deep fry pan or a very large pot is preferred to toss the pasta with the sauce, allowing the starch and fat to emulsify and create a glossy, rich coating.
- If the sauce becomes too thick or gluey, adding a small amount of reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce back to a silky consistency.
- The nutrition information is calculated based on 3 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 150g cooked pasta with sauce)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
