Folks-
Every time I decide to look into how to make an authentic sauce that I'm sure is going to be difficult or involve lots of ingredients it seems like I find out it's easy and I have everything on hand.
I was sure Alfredo was going to involve careful simmering of milk products, stirring the pot constantly to make sure it doesn't burn when I turn my back,
As it was with my Enchilada Sauce and Tomato-based Pasta Sauce, I was very wrong.
Unless you want to make a creamy American-style Alfredo that isn't an Alfredo. But honestly...why would you do that?
I looked it up after a Reddit session where people were complaining about American taste buds making restaurants all taste the same, saw a complaint thread about creamy vs authentic Alfredo and decided to investigate. This recipe is the result.
Like my tomato based sauce, this lends itself to vibe-cooking. If you think adding something will make it good, do it.
Here's my base Authentic Italian Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients:
1 lb dry (usually 1 box) or 1 1/2 lb fresh fettuccine
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup grated real Parmesan cheese (not the dry stuff in shakers)
1/2 cup butter, cubed (1 stick, ideally European butter)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (ideally Italian parsley)
1-2 teaspoons coarsely ground or cracked fresh black or rainbow pepper to taste
1/2 cup of the pasta water
Grind the pepper and chop the parsley and set aside. Cube the butter and place in the bottom of a large bowl with 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Boil the pasta per the package directions (unless using homemade, then boil for 1-3 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, cover the cheese and butter in the bowl with the drained pasta, pour the 1/2 cup pasta water on it, then mix gently, tossing as the cheese starts to melt.
Use the last 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and parsley to dress the pasta, either in the bowl, or directly on the plate, however it's served.
Yes, it really is that simple. Yay!
