Fettuccine Alfredo

Name: Fettuccine Alfredo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: fettuccine 220 g; unsalted butter 60 g; parmigiano reggiano 70 g; heavy cream 80 ml; salt 1 tsp; black pepper 1 tsp; Water 3000 ml

Quick answer

Total time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

The Roman original binds butter, Parmigiano and pasta water with no cream at all; this version adds a small amount of heavy cream.

The sauce still depends on finely grated cheese, and adding it to a pan that is too hot makes it clump or split into grease. Plenty of freshly ground black pepper cuts through the richness of the butter and cheese.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Bring 3L of water to a full boil in a pot large enough for 220g fettuccine to move freely.

Add the salt, spread the pasta into the water, and stir early so the strands do not stick.
2

Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package time, until the center still has slight firmness.

Before draining, reserve 200ml of cloudy pasta water, since its starch will help the sauce coat smoothly.
3

Melt 60g unsalted butter slowly in a wide pan over low heat.

Add 80ml heavy cream and stir until glossy and even, keeping it warm rather than boiling so the dairy does not separate.
4

Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss with tongs, lifting the strands so the butter cream mixture reaches every surface.

Add reserved pasta water 50ml at a time and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly coated.
5

Turn the heat off, or reduce it to the lowest setting, before adding 70g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Toss quickly and constantly so the cheese melts into the warm sauce instead of clumping or turning grainy.
6

Check the texture when the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta evenly.

Adjust thickness with a small splash of pasta water if needed, season with salt, grind in plenty of black pepper, and serve immediately.