Description
Roman-Style Fettuccine with Alfredo Sauce is a classic, simple Italian dish that combines fresh fettuccine pasta with a luscious, creamy sauce made from butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. This recipe offers a rich and elegant meal with minimal ingredients, relying on the starchy pasta cooking water to create a smooth and velvety sauce without the use of cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (115g), diced
- 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (115g), grated on the fine holes of a box grater, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound fresh fettuccine pasta
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce base: In a large heatproof bowl, combine the diced unsalted butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, ready to form the sauce with the hot pasta water.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh fettuccine and cook until al dente, usually about 3-4 minutes, depending on the pasta thickness.
- Transfer pasta to sauce bowl: Using tongs, a strainer, or a spider, lift the cooked pasta out of the boiling water and place it directly into the bowl with the butter and cheese.
- Emulsify the sauce: Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta-cooking water to the bowl. Using tongs, toss the pasta repeatedly so the butter melts and combines with the cheese and water to create a creamy, emulsified sauce coating every strand of pasta evenly.
- Adjust consistency and seasoning: If the sauce seems too thick or dry, add a splash or two more of the pasta water to achieve the desired creamy consistency. Season with kosher salt to taste.
- Serve: Plate the fettuccine Alfredo and sprinkle additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top at the table for extra flavor and richness.
Notes
- This dish is an authentic Roman take on fettuccine Alfredo, highlighting the simplicity of just butter and cheese without any cream.
- The key to success is using starchy pasta water to emulsify the butter and cheese, creating a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Fresh pasta works best for this recipe because it cooks quickly and absorbs the sauce well.
- Adjust the salt carefully as the cheese already adds saltiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 498 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 684 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg
