Pasta Alfredo
It’s that “elevated” mac-n-cheese that you can get away with as an adult. Great on its own, but also an excellent vehicle for chicken, broccoli, or shrimp.
Fettucine alfredo was one of the first recipes that I remember actually retaining when I was growing up. My dad taught me 1:1:1, cream, butter, cheese - rich, heavy, and designed to kill you... This is a one skillet take on what I learned, incorporating less butter and more cheese for a slightly thicker, but also slightly more protein dense meal.
Ingredients:
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8oz dry fettucine
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1 cup heavy cream
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2 cups of water
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4 tbsp (1/2 stick) of butter
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a few generous pinches of salt
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fresh ground pepper, to taste
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1 garlic clove, peeled
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1 1/2 cups of freshly grated Peccorino Romano (Per dad's original recommendation, for a more robust flavor than just Parmesan or a blend)
Instructions:
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Combine cream, water, butter, salt, pepper, garlic clove, and pasta in you skillet.
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Bring to a boil, and stir.
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Reduced heat to a low simmer and cover.
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Let pan simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, until pasta is tender. Less time, obviously, for a more al dente noodle.
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Remove your skillet from heat, remove the garlic clove and stir in cheese.
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Top with fresh ground pepper, serve immediately. This is a great quick base to add last night leftover chicken to, or include some steamed broccoli for a lighter choice. Either way, the flavor is fantastic.