Fettuccine Alfredo from Ruth Reichl's The Gourmet Cookbook {Total Comfort Food}!

 

So last week was an EXTREMELY tough week at school and that is an understatement. On top of that, I was exposed as a girl in my group tested positive for covid. Then I woke up sick the next day. Don't you love how literally every symptom is a covid symptom? Makes things fun, doesn't it? Even better when all the testing sites are booked up and you can't get a test anywhere. Thankfully I am on the mend, but I am still short on patience and just over everything.

I wanted to make something REALLY EASY and SUPER COMFORTING and I have been craving pasta, and loving my Ruth Riechl recipes lately, so I decided to make something super naughty!

Ruth Reichl's Fettuccine Alfredo! It couldn't be easier and....IT COULDN'T BE MORE DELICIOUS! This is the third time I've tried making Fettuccine Alfredo. The first time I made Giada's recipe and it was good. Then I made Nigel Slater's Needs Must Fettuccine Alfredo and it was also good. Then I made this recipe and it was love at first bite. I knew instantly that this was THE ONE AND ONLY!

Seriously, this recipe is simply the best and tastes even better than eating Fettucine Alfredo in a restaurant. The best part is that it is so easy as it is essentially only 4 ingredients: fettuccine, butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and heavy cream! You can have it done in the time it takes to cook pasta!

All you have to do is boil the noodles and prep your sauce ingredients: butter, cream, Parmigiano Reggiano. This is where I have some tips for you! Make sure you salt your pasta water very well as this really adds to the overall dish. Also, buy quality pasta and REAL Parmigiano-Reggiano! Lastly, be sure to save at least a cup of pasta water because alfredo has a tendency to seize up after awhile and a great tip is to use that leftover pasta water to help loosen things up.

This is an incredible one pot meal. It is definitely indulgent, but it is a great recipe that everyone in the family will love, and we all deserve a treat right now as things are a bit crazy. 

I like to serve this with a big green salad or some green veggies, but if you wanted to add some meat then you could buy a Rotisserie chicken and add some chicken to the pasta.

Please give it a try!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

by Ruth Reichl

Serves 4

 3/4 pound good dried egg fettuccine

1 stick butter

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional for sprinkling

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespon salt per every 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water (I like to reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water - for all recipes).

Meanwhile, thinly slice 3 tablespoons butter; set aside.

When pasta is cooked, melt remaining 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter in a 2- to 3-quart flameproof gratin dish over low heat (I just used the pan from the pasta). Add pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, reserved cooking water (a little at a time), cream, reserved butter, salt and pepper and toss to combine well. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately. 

*You will want to serve this immediately because the sauce will thicken quickly. I like to keep quite a bit of pasta water to help loosen up the sauce if need be.