Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo

- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- Salt
- 2tablespoons butter
- 1small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1½cups heavy cream
- 1large egg yolk
- 1pound fresh fettuccine
- 1cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring 6 quarts generously salted water to a boil.
- Step 2
While the water heats, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant and sizzling, about 2 minutes. Whisk the cream with the egg yolk in a bowl until blended; pour into the garlic butter. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until hot but not boiling. Keep warm over low heat.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, cook the pasta, partially covered, until al dente. (The pasta will float when it’s done.) Drain in a colander, shaking out excess water, but reserve a little cooking water. Pour hot pasta into the cream mixture and toss to coat (still over low heat). Add the cheese and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. If sauce is absorbed too much, toss with a little pasta water. Serve in warm bowls.
Private Notes
Comments
Oh, fettuccine Alfredo is so scrumptious, but really, it's a heart attack on a plate. I much prefer the Fettucini Alfredo made by my southern Italian grandmother, which uses whole milk and ricotta cheese,instead of heavy cream. It's every bit as creamy, but with a better taste in my opinion. The milk and ricotta cheese can be adjusted to taste, with low fat versions tasting every bit as good as the higher fat versions. Start out with 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese.
Such a tempest in a teapot! The heck with "authentic." Your Job One for this dish -- or any other dish -- is "Will my family/household like it?" Family consensus here on Alfredo: garlic, cream, butter, NO egg, dried basil and oregano, microplaned nutmeg, bitty splash of white wine, plus chicken, mushrooms, or both.
No way is this "authentic" ... but my family always wants second helpings and THAT is what is important.
Okay all you Fettuccine Alfredo experts listen up. This recipe is named "ELAINE'S Fettuccine Alfredo" as in made HER way and loved by HER customers. Yes, we know Alfredo's did not have milk, cream, cream cheese, garlic or eggs in his original. What we have been offered here is a version of a popular dish that people liked/bought at "Elaine's". Make it the way YOU like it!
This recipe knocked it out of the park. No edits in regard to key ingredients, just added spinach and sautéed mushrooms at the end while blending the pasta with the sauce. Excellent consistency and flavor. Adding this to the (monthly) rotation.
I used 1/2 of the amount of pasta & used the full amount of the rest of the ingredients, as pasta continues to soak up a lot of the sauce when cooling. Awesome. Leftovers will be creamy when reheated!
When I make fettuccine Alfredo, I leave out the butter. I do this because it separates when reheated for leftovers and I don’t like that.