enlightened fettuccine alfredo

If you have ever eaten at the Olive Garden, which I haven’t but I know most people have, then you know that fettuccine alfredo is the filthiest move on the menu. While luxurious and indulgent in theory, fettuccine alfredo is an absolute bomb of self-disgust in practice, a mistake we’ve all made once and swear immediately after eating that we’ll never make ever again. I am convinced this dish tricks people into thinking they must be lactose intolerant, but it’s not that. That’s just how alfredo is supposed to hit. The fact that it turns to lead in the bowl within minutes of being served tells you all you need to know.

For that very first bite, though, fettuccine alfredo is total garlic parmesan cream nirvana. That’s what lures us back into its trap, over and over again. But! It actually doesn’t need to be as heavy as it is to capture the best of that sensation, which was my intention in “enlightening” it to be more of an acceptable everyday(ish) thing without resorting to yogurt or cauliflower or 1% milk and defeating the entire purpose of alfredo.

When you strip alfredo back to just the absolute basics, you find you need a lot less of everything than you think. No flour. No broth. Half the butter. A fraction of the cream. The actual star of this show is not any of the usual suspects at all, but—surprise—a lot of starchy pasta water.

Pasta water emulsions are the back door trick for so many Italian pastas, like cacio e pepe, which manages to get creamy without any cream at all. So, I figure: why not use the same science for alfredo? Here, you still do have the boost of a small amount of cream to help thicken the sauce and give it characteristic alfredo richness, but because you can get creamy texture already without it, you only need to use less than 1/4 cup per serving. Most recipes have twice that; most restaurants probably more. It’s never going to be “light,” just enlightened, with a final result that feels a lot more cozy Italian hole-in-the-wall than it does chain restaurant vibes.

This recipe is for a basic blank canvas alfredo. You could serve with a lemony green salad, roasted broccoli or cauliflower, some sautéd mushrooms, bacon or pancetta, sundried tomatoes, a grilled or pan-seared chicken breast, cooked shrimp, whatever. Add hot sauce. Dump some peas in it. This is your dish. Don’t let me tell you how to get down.

But I will tell you this: this is something everyone needs in their back pocket for a semi-filthy Friday. You’ll know it when you see it.

Recipe

A classic creamy, garlicky, cheesy fettuccine alfredo, naturally lighter. By emulsifying plenty of starchy pasta water (the same trick used for cacio e pepe) with parmesan cheese, you can make a silky smooth sauce that only requires a fraction of the cream—yet sacrifices none of the indulgent comfort-food vibe. Olive Garden who?

Effortful time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2 plain, 4 with another component

you need

  • 3 tbsp. butter

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup cream

  • Black pepper

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, substitute at your own peril—this truly is the best here

  • 8 oz fettuccine

  • 2 cups reserved pasta water (you may not use all of it)

  • 1 tbsp. dried parsley

  • More parm and cracked pepper for serving

MAKE IT

  1. Cook your pasta. Boil a pot of salted water for fettuccine. Cook 2 minutes less than the package directions say.

  2. Cook the garlic. When the pasta water is boiling, heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook until just fragrant and soft but not brown at all, about 30 seconds.

  3. Build the sauce. Add the cream and drop the heat to medium low. Stir well to incorporate the butter with the cream. Salt and pepper it. Bring to a simmer, stirring periodically, for 4 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and thickened.

  4. Thicken the sauce. Drop the sauce’s heat to very low, just enough to keep it warm. Add the parm and parsley to the cream mixture and stir/whisk very well until velvety smooth and combined, a minute more. Let it hang out on very low heat, stirring regularly, until your pasta is ready to go.

  5. Finish the pasta in the sauce. Depending on the pasta brand you used, your fettuccine should be approaching 2 minutes shy of al dente as soon as the sauce is ready, which is what you want. Using tongs, pull it from the cooking pot and straight into the sauté pan. Turn up the heat a bit to medium-low. Add some of your reserved pasta water and begin to toss the pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed to keep things loose n glossy, about 2 minutes or until the pasta is properly al dente. If it gets too thick, add more pasta water. This is why we save extra!

  6. Serve it up. Plate with extra cheese if desired and serve right away. Alfredo waits for no man and does not improve with leisure.

sauces, meatlessA @ italian enoughessential, italian-american, enlightened, starter pack1 Comment