Description
Classic creamy Fettuccine Alfredo combines perfectly cooked fettuccine pasta with a luscious sauce made from butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This authentic Italian dish is rich, comforting, and easy to prepare, featuring subtle shallots for depth of flavor. Perfect for a quick yet indulgent meal, it’s garnished with fresh parsley and extra cheese for a delicious finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Fettuccine Alfredo
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, very finely minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Cook the 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 instructions (e.g., boil for 11 minutes if package suggests 12). This ensures the pasta remains firm as it will continue cooking in the sauce.
- Melt butter and sauté shallots: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a deep fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the finely minced shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender, releasing their sweet flavor into the butter.
- Add cream and simmer: Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Incorporate cheese and season: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and black pepper until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Reserve pasta water and drain pasta: Before draining, take out 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside, along with an extra mug of water for adjustments if needed. Then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Toss pasta in sauce: Transfer the drained pasta and the reserved 1/4 cup pasta water into the fry pan with the sauce. Return the pan to medium-high heat and gently toss the pasta for 1 minute, allowing the sauce to emulsify and coat the noodles with a glossy, thick finish.
- Adjust sauce consistency and serve: The sauce should be silky and cling to the pasta without being gluey or overly thick. If it becomes too thick, add a little of the extra reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Shallots in America are called Eschallots in Australia; they have a stronger, sweeter flavor than onions. You can substitute 1/4 cup finely minced brown or white onions if needed.
- Use light cream instead of heavy cream for a lighter version, although the texture and richness will differ.
- Parmigiano Reggiano is preferred for its deep, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor, but good quality parmesan cheese can be substituted.
- Use freshly and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano to ensure the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce, preventing a grainy texture.
- Cook pasta 1 minute less than suggested on the package to keep it al dente, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- A deep fry pan is ideal for tossing pasta and sauce to emulsify and achieve a glossy coating on the noodles. If unavailable, a very large pot can be used.
- If the sauce becomes too thick or gluey, add a small amount of reserved pasta water to restore its silky texture.
- Nutrition is calculated assuming 3 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
