Easy and Delicious Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
- Carbohydrate 38.0641237511666 g
- Cholesterol 210.878 mg
- Fat 61.3036425000587 g
- Fiber 0.683437503755255 g
- Protein 71.4777662501971 g
- Saturated Fat 36.8917107500176 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (238g)
- Sodium 2695.70600000079 mg
- Sugar 37.3806862474113 g
- Trans Fat 4.15879825000251 g
- Calories 994 calories
Step-by-step
- Fill a medium to large pot one-half full of water.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring the water to a full boil.
- Add the 12 oz. fettucini noodles, and bring them to a boil.
- Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until al dente (chewy--not mushy).
- While the noodles are cooking, prepare your Alfredo sauce.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan on the stove.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup flour an stir vigorously, until the two are blended into a roux.
- Add 12 oz. (1 1/2 cups) grated Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim milk), and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Now cook and stir continuously for a minute or two, and then occasionally.
- The sauce should be thick and smooth about the same time that the noodles are cooked.
- Drain the noodles in a collander in the sink and place the collander containing the noodles on top of the pot.
- Transfer the drained noodles to a serving dish (oblong and deep is good).
- Pour the Alfredo sauce over the noodles in about three different parts, mixing each time you pour in more of the sauce.
- When you have added enough sauce to your taste, sprinkle the top with dry grated Parmesan cheese, and garnish with fresh parsley, snipped over the top with kitchen shears.
- Serve hot with Italian bread and olive oil for dipping the bread.
- Buon appetito!
Cooking under a tight thirty-minute deadline requires precise multitasking, which this preparation manages by boiling the pasta concurrently with the sauce reduction. Boiling pasta in a generously salted pot ensures the starch hydrates evenly while seasoning the interior of each strand before it ever meets the dairy. Water should reach a full, rolling boil so the noodles circulate freely and cook uniformly within the seven-to-ten-minute window.
Stirring flour into melted butter off the heat prevents localized burning and ensures the fats coat the starch granules smoothly before liquid is introduced. Combining milk and grated Parmesan directly into that initial butter-and-flour mixture creates an emulsion where dairy proteins suspend properly without breaking. Whisking continuously helps the cheese melt into the liquid phase rather than clumping into rubbery masses.
Lower-fat dairy options like skim milk alter the final viscosity because they contain less natural milk fat to stabilize the sauce. Compensating for reduced fat requires relying more heavily on the starch released from the boiling pasta and the proteins in the Parmesan to achieve a clingy texture. Pouring the finished sauce over the drained noodles in gradual increments guarantees every strand gets coated rather than pooling at the base of the dish.
Storing leftover pasta containing heavy dairy sauces often results in separation upon thawing, so consuming this dish immediately yields the best texture. Reheating gentle portions over low heat with an extra splash of milk can restore some moisture if refrigeration causes the sauce to tighten up significantly.
