This is the basic recipe from The Vegetarian Epicure- Book Two. Depending on what's in the frig or my mood, I sometimes add/change the recipe.
- I often use half and half instead of heavy cream
- If I have Swiss in the frig I sometimes add a bit of grated Swiss after incorporating the parmesan
- I love to add grilled shrimp
- or aspargus
- or chicken
- It is easy to half the recipe. I will put the amount in (parenthesis)
That said, the plain, basic recipe is perfect all by itself.
FETTUCINE ALFREDO
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (1 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 TBL/1/2 stick)
- 2 egg yolks (1 egg yolk)
- salt
- pepper
- 1 lb. fettuccine noodles (1/2 lb.)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (1/4 cup)
- Prepare pasta water with a small bit of oil. Put on burner to come to a boil.
- Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it is just beginning to simmer, add the cheese bit by bit. Stir constantly until smooth and then start adding the butter a little bit at a time. When all the butter has been incorporated and sauce is smooth, remove from the heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce into the egg yolks. Return this mixture to the sauce and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
- While you were making the sauce the water for the pasta should have been coming to a boil. Cook the noodles until they are just al dente.
- Drain noodles and transfer to a serving dish. Pour sauce over noodles. Lift noodles with 2 spoons to coat them with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.
- ...and if you have additions you can add here or just artfully place around edges of the bowl.