Simple Fettucine Alfredo
A simple authentic Italian Pasta with Alfredo Sauce! Optional ingredients are offered if you want to flavor it up!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 16 oz fettuccine, cooked to package instructions (minus one minute)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (packaged won't be the same)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- a few pinches of sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
optional ingredients: if desired use one or all!
- 4 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) cooked and chopped, used as a garnish
- 10 basil leaves or parsley chopped, , used as a garnish
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, used as a garnish
Instructions
- Set a large stock pot of water to boil, cook pasta to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. While pasta water heats and pasta cooks, grate parmesan and make sauce.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add cream and bring to a LOW simmer. Simmer on low heat for four minutes, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. Slowly whisk in parmesan cheese until sauce is smooth. Add lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat off.
- When pasta is ready, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, strain pasta (do not rinse!) add pasta to sauce, toss. If sauce is too thick, you can thin it by adding one tablespoon of pasta water at a time and stirring until you reach desired consistency. Garnish with any of the suggestions mentioned above and serve!