Restaurant Fettuccine Alfredo
The key with this pretty simple recipe is to watch the heat. Keep it on the low side and pay attention; you don’t want butter or cream to separate. Also, don’t overcook the pasta, and it will not work with pre-grated cheese.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ cups cream
- 1½ cups Parmesan, freshly grated (do not use pre-grated Parmesan), plus additional to serve
- Freshly ground pepper to taste, plus more to serve
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- 1 pound fettuccine, preferably fresh
- Chopped Italian parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Put a pan of salted pasta water on to boil. In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium-low heat and sauté the garlic until it’s just fragrant. Pour in the cream and, on medium-low heat, allow it to reach a gentle simmer and then let it reduce for about 5 minutes. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add 1 cup of Parmesan and stir until sauce is thickened and creamy. Remove from the heat. Stir in several cracks of fresh pepper and the nutmeg, if desired. Meanwhile, when the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to directions, until it is al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain. Put the sauce back over low heat and toss with the hot pasta and an additional ½ cup of cheese. If the sauce seems thick, add reserved water, a little bit at a time, until the noodles are silky. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese, chopped Italian parsley, and additional cracks of pepper.
