Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Alfredo sauce is a traditional white sauce made up of butter and parmesan cheese, usually served with pasta; it is popular accompaniment for fettuccine pasta where the broad noodles are coated in the Alfredo sauce; the actual dish originated in Rome by an Italian restaurateur Alfredo Di Lelio in 1914. Alfredo sauce can be made separate from the pasta where it is sold in jars or it can be made where the ingredients are combined with the pasta dish.

Once Fettuccine Alfredo crossed over to America the dish was mixed with other ingredients such as broccoli, parsley, cream, garlic, shrimp and chicken. The Alfredo sauce itself is slightly different with variations of U.S. parmesan cheese, roux, egg, nutmeg, caramelized onions and/or garlic, and lemon zest.

Alfredo sauce is fairly simple to make and can be perfected once the right proportions are used for its ingredients. The consistency of the sauce should allow easy but sufficient coating of the noodles; it should not be too thick or too thin.trans Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup cold salted butter
  • 1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  •  
    Freshly chopped parsley

Directions

  1. Add cold water to a saucepan, just enough to cover the bottom.
  2. Heat the saucepan over high heat and until water begins to evaporate.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat when a few drops of water are left in it.
  4. Add the cream and return saucepan to heat. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to medium. Continue to boil the cream until it is reduced to half.
  5. Cook pasta in salted water and drain well when done.
  6. Remove the cream from heat and gradually add the butter blending well with the cream.
  7. Once the cream is thick and smooth add the cheese in small portions and pasta. Stir continuously with wooden spoon until completely blended and ensure you scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with parsley.

Sautéed onion and garlic can be added to pump up the flavors in this dish. The use of Asiago cheese or Romano cheese instead of parmesan will definitely produce different flavors. Typical Alfredo sauce is high in saturated fat and sodium. For a lighter Alfredo sauce use 1 cup skim milk and 1 cup regular or light sour cream and reduce the butter. Add some dried herbs and you are ready to go. For a thicker Alfredo sauce add a small amount of roux. Roux is actually flour combined with liquid butter or olive oil.