Thick and Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo

I have been making Fettuccine Alfredo ever since we were married, but have always been frustrated with how thin my sauce was.  It tasted great, but just wasn’t the right consistency for me.  The last few years I have tried different recipes, but the ones I tried came out very similar to mine.  So last week I tried a new one, and it was absolutely perfect!  It was thick and creamy and rich just the way I wanted it to be.  I’m pretty sure this will make the final cuts of my favorite recipes for 2015, and it is only the first recipe I tried this year.  If you like alfredo sauce, you will love this one!

The sauce is very simple to make, and can be made fairly quickly.  It is not as quick as pouring it out of a jar, but the results are a 1000 times better.  Originally, I was a little hesitant to try it, as I noticed the recipe called for eggs.  I was afraid it would have an eggy taste, but you would never know they are even in there.  They are just there to help achieve the thickness that makes this sauce so wonderful.

When we were eating this for the first time, I was just oohing and ahhing at how good it was.  Then I turned to my husband and said, “It’s too bad we can never eat this again.”  I said that because it is so high in fat and calories.  I really didn’t mean that.  I know I will be making it over and over again.  It is definitely one of those recipes you can’t make every week if you want to be healthy, though.  But for special occasions or company coming over, this would be perfect.  I’m thinking that there has got to be some kind of holiday coming up soon so that we can eat it again.  Maybe Sir Walter Raleigh landing day? Such a huge event has to be celebrated with special foods!:)

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 1 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 1/2 c whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 oz. freshly, finely grated Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup)
• 2 oz. freshly, finely grated Romano Cheese (1/2 c), plus more for serving
• 2 oz. freshly, finely grated Mozzarella Cheese (1/2 cup)
• freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
• 1 lb. fettuccine pasta, uncooked

1. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package, scoop out and reserve 1/4 cup pasta water into a small bowl before draining.
2. In a large saucepan, combine cream and milk.  Scoop out and reserve 1/4 cup cream mixture into a small mixing bowl.
3. Scoop out and reserve another 1/4 cup cream mixture into a separate small mixing bowl.
4. Bring cream mixture in saucepan to a simmer over medium heat (a gentle bubble just below boiling).  Reduce heat to medium low.
5. Add 3 egg yolks to one of the small mixing bowls containing 1/4 cup cream mixture and stir egg yolks until very well blended, about 30 seconds.
6. Add 2 tsp. cornstarch to separate small mixing bowl containing remaining 1/4 cup cream mixture and whisk mixture until well blended and smooth.
7. Add 1/4 cup hot cream mixture from saucepan to egg yolk mixture and blend, then add 1/4 cup hot cream mixture to cornstarch mixture and blend.
8. Pour both mixtures into hot cream mixture in saucepan.  Cook mixture over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
9. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and finely grated cheeses.  Cook, stirring constantly until cheese has melted.  Thin sauce, if desired with pasta water that was reserved (I didn’t add any pasta water as I like the sauce thick).  If you want to thin the sauce, start with 2 Tbsp. and go from there until of desired consistency.
10. Pour alfredo sauce over drained pasta and toss to evenly coat.  Plate and garnish with additional grated Romano cheese, optional chopped fresh parsley, and sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper.  Serve immediately.
11. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe from Cook AZ I Do, originally found on Cooking Classy 

 

 

 

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