Favorite Fettuccine Alfredo
I hope you’re all hanging in there. Stay safe, people!
Now. Food talk.
Pasta is my favorite food group. Yes, didn’t you know, pasta has its own food group.
Okay, well, that’s not true. The former statement. Because I vacillate. Between pizza and pasta. Both are my favorite, depending on when you ask.
I guess, to clarify slash simplify slash make a decision, anything with carbs and sauce and cheese is my favorite.
And fettuccine Alfredo is no exception. It ranks high on my favorite foods list. How could it not — it’s rich, creamy, indulgent, hearty, classic, nostalgic, slurpalicious, and friggin delicious.
And don’t even get me started on salmon fettuccine Alfredo. THAT. May just be my absolute favorite.
But anyway. That’s got nothing to do with today’s pasta recipe. Except the fettuccine Alfredo part, obviously.
You know. There’s something extremely satisfying about slurping up long, thick pasta strands. That are covered in a rich cream sauce. Satisfying, and also, decidedly messy, if you’re me.
While I love me a good tomato-based pasta sauce (and anything with cooked tomatoes, in general), I’m happy to forgo the tomatoes when it comes to fettuccine Alfredo. Especially this fettuccine Alfredo. Cuz it’s my favorite.
To be fair, most fettuccine Alfredo recipes you’ll find are fairly similar, with the same basic list of ingredients (but if you’re going the most classic Alfredo route, there’s actually no cream to be found in that ingredient list).
But this Alfredo recipe has been tweaked and worked on until I found my ideal ratio of butter to cream to Parmesan cheese. Along with additions I found very much delightful, such as freshly minced garlic and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Also. You may already know this. But fettuccine Alfredo is actually so insanely easy and quick to prepare.
First, cook the fettuccine. Which is easy enough. Just make sure it’s very al dente, because the pasta will continue to cook a bit once it’s added to the hot sauce.
And then the Alfredo sauce: melt butter and garlic. Add in cream and nutmeg. Add in Parmesan and salt and pepper. And done. In five minutes.
Stir the cooked fettuccine into the rich, creamy sauce, add in some reserved pasta water if you need to thin your sauce out a bit, garnish that fettuccine with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley, and serve that dish up yo.
Right away. Serve it right away. You must. That’s how pasta works.
Quick and easy. Rich and creamy. Hearty and filling. Indulgent and comforting.
Favorite fettuccine Alfredo — you always keep me coming back for more.
Favorite Fettuccine Alfredo
Yield: about 6 servings
1 lb. fettuccine
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt (start with 1 tsp) + black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, for garnishing
1. Cook fettuccine according to package instructions until very al dente. Reserve some pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet big enough to hold all the pasta and sauce, heat the butter and minced garlic for a few minutes over low-medium heat, until melted and fragrant.
3. Add in the cream and nutmeg and cook for a few minutes until cream is bubbling. Add in Parmesan, salt, and pepper and cook until cheese is melted.
4. Add fettuccine into the sauce and toss. If necessary, add some pasta water to sauce to thin it out. Garnish pasta with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.
