Fettuccine Alfredo

Earlier this week I assisted at a food shoot where there was a large amount of leftover dried pasta and so home I went with a couple of packages of beautiful Saffron Fettuccine (literally "little ribbons" in Italian).  

As the fog rolled in and the chilly evening air came through my kitchen window, I knew we would need something cozy and comforting (and simple!) for dinner....Fettuccine Alfredo, perfect. 

Fettuccine Alfredo 

{Serves 3-4}

Ingredients

3/4 lb dried fettuccine 

6 T unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup grana padano or parmigiano reggiano cheese

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method

1. bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to direction on the box so that it is al dente. Drain pasta and reserve some of the pasta water for the sauce. 

2. while your pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saute pan and cook the shallots until they are translucent (a few minutes). Add the garlic and cook until you can smell it (about 1 minute). 

3. add the heavy cream and reduce for about 5 minutes. add salt and pepper. add cheese. remove from heat. add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the sauce along with the cooked fettuccine. 

4. toss and place into serving bowls. top with more cheese and parsley. serve immediately.

Note: You can made this recipe your own by tweaking the flavor profile once you have the basic recipe down. Sometimes I like to add some fresh lemon zest, white pepper, or a pinch of nutmeg. Play with it. Use whatever you've got on hand!