Description
Classic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo featuring al dente pasta coated in a rich, creamy sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. This indulgent yet simple dish is perfect for a cozy meal and garnished with fresh parsley for a bright finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz / 250g dried fettuccine
Sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, very finely minced (or 1/4 cup finely minced onion as substitute)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (can substitute with light cream for lighter version)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or parmesan as substitute)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Good grind of black pepper
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Extra Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dried fettuccine and cook until al dente, approximately 1 minute less than package instructions (around 11 minutes if packet says 12). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water plus an additional mugful separately for adjusting sauce.
- Melt Butter and Sauté Shallots: While the pasta cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the finely minced shallots and sauté for about 2 minutes until tender and fragrant.
- Prepare Cream Sauce: Add the heavy cream to the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add Cheese and Season: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and black pepper until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the drained pasta along with 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the sauce. Toss gently for about 1 minute to coat the pasta evenly and allow the sauce to emulsify, becoming glossy and thick. If sauce becomes gluey, add extra reserved pasta water to restore silkiness.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from heat and plate immediately. Garnish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Shallots (called eschallots in Australia) have a stronger, sweeter flavor than onions. If unavailable, finely minced brown or white onion can be used, though more is needed due to lower flavor intensity.
- Heavy cream provides richness; light cream can be substituted for a lighter dish but will alter the creaminess.
- Parmigiano Reggiano has a deeper, nuttier flavor compared to generic parmesan; freshly and finely grated cheese is essential to avoid grainy sauce.
- Cooking pasta 1 minute less than package instructions ensures it remains al dente as it continues cooking in the sauce.
- A deep frying pan is preferred for tossing pasta with sauce to emulsify and develop a glossy, rich coating. If unavailable, a large pot can be used.
- The sauce should be silky and cling lightly to pasta strands rather than drowning them; add reserved pasta water if it becomes too thick or gluey.
- Recipe yields approximately 3 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
