A classic Italian Alfredo sauce with a rich and creamy texture and comforting flavour, this simple yet luxurious sauce has only a few simple ingredients and minimal cooking time. The butter, cream and cheese help to create a velvety sauce that when emulsified with the starchy pasta water, wraps around each strand of fettuccine like silk. Have by itself or pair with grilled chicken or salmon.
Time to make : 15 minutes
Servings : 2
Ingredients
30g butter
1 shallot, finely diced
90ml double cream
50g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese*, finely grated
Pinch of finely ground nutmeg*
Salt and pepper, to season
Fettuccine (180g dried or 240g fresh)
Fresh parsley, to serve with extra freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the fettuccine. Cook for 1 minute less than packet instructions for dried pasta and 2-3 minutes for fresh pasta. Before draining the pasta, remove 4 tbsp of the starchy pasta water and reserve for the sauce.
Meanwhile, create the sauce starting with melting the butter in a large deep frying pan over a medium - high heat.
Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes until soft and translucent
Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to stir occasionally for 2 - 3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Keeping the pan on a low heat, add in the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese with a good pinch of salt and pepper and the nutmeg, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and the cheese has melted.
Add in the cooked pasta along with the reserved starchy pasta water, turn the heat up to medium - high and toss the pasta to coat it in the sauce and allow it to emulsify for about 1 minute.
Serve immediately with fresh parsley and extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Nutritional Information
(per serving, including the pasta)
580 calories
40g fat, 32g carbs, 16g protein
Good to know/storage
I prefer using a shallot to garlic or onion, but you could use 2 cloves or minced garlic or 1/2 a finely diced onion if you prefer. Shallots have a slightly sweeter flavour.
I use less cream than other Alfredo sauce recipes because I find that adding the starchy pasta water makes a real difference to creating that velvety smooth sauce without having a dish that's swimming in cream. I prefer full fat double cream but you can use low fat cream if you prefer.
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese has a deeper, nuttier flavour than regular Parmesan cheese. It's slightly more expensive but as the ingredients are so few in this recipe, it makes a real difference to use a quality cheese. Make sure the cheese is fresh, not pre-grated which will result in a grainy sauce, and finely grated so that it melts easier than a courser grated cheese.
Use a whole nutmeg if possible, or substitute with 1/8 tsp of ground nutmeg.
Emulsifying the pasta is what helps to create that velvety smooth sauce using the starchy pasta water, rather than relying solely on adding more cream - so remember to reserve some of the cooked pasta water.
Best enjoyed fresh, but you can store extra Alfredo sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or jar, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.