Holiday Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make fettuccine Alfredo taste better? ›

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

In Italy, Christmas Eve is often a day when no meat is eaten. So a pasta dish such as fettuccine is a traditional option. In southern Italy seafood dishes are on the menu as part of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This Christmas fettuccine would be great with the addition of some sauteed shrimp as well.

Alfredo sauce is quick and easy to make, recipes are on line and several are pretty good. But that's not the question. To make store bought taste better add some fresh grated parm or romano cheese, a shake of white pepper and a pinch of italian seasoning.

Butter: This Alfredo sauce starts with two sticks of butter. Cream: The rich sauce calls for almost a cup of heavy cream. Seasonings: The fettuccine Alfredo is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cheese: You'll need Romano and Parmesan cheeses.

Add a few dashes of garlic powder to your simmering sauce, or a clove or two of fresh sauteed garlic, to brighten up the Alfredo and make its flavor pop. You can also sprinkle in some fresh or dried herbs, like oregano, thyme, or basil, to add complexity to the sauce.

The easiest way to accomplish this is to mix about a spoonful of cornstarch to 2 spoonfuls of liquid – it could be water or chicken stock or even milk. You will add this mixture, also called a slurry to the sauce and as it starts to cook, the sauce will thicken.

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

Origins and tradition

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil).

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used.

Flavor Boosters

Nutmeg: A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg can elevate the flavors in your Alfredo sauce. However, use it sparingly; a little goes a long way. White Wine: A splash of a good-quality white wine can add depth and complexity. Make sure to cook off the alcohol by simmering the sauce for a few extra minutes.

How do you keep Alfredo sauce from getting gritty? ›

Don't overheat any cheese sauce or it will “break” meaning that the cheese will separate into a thin sauce and bits of cheese which describes the “grainy” nature of your Alfredo sauce. Ideally Alfredo sauce should not be “cooked” at all but combined using the heat from the pasta only.

The key ingredient in Alfredo sauce is cheese—generally Parmigiano Reggiano—and lots of it. To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply add more cheese than the amount called for in a recipe until you achieve the consistency you want.

All-purpose flour: To help form a roux and thicken the sauce. If you are making gluten-free Alfredo sauce, however, you are welcome to omit the flour and have a slightly thinner sauce. Or you can use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it (see details below).

National Fettuccine Alfredo Day is observed annually on February 7th. Alfredo di Lelio, an Italian restaurateur, created Fettuccine Alfredo in 1908. After his wife had given birth to their first son that year, she did not have an appetite. To help encourage her to eat, he created a dish of noodles, cheese and butter.

Alfredo sauce is a rich, creamy sauce that is typically made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Some recipes also call for garlic, herbs, or other seasonings. Essentially, the sauce is a combination of butter and cream, with the Parmesan cheese adding a tangy, salty flavour.

Add a little butter or cream or cream cheese, to taste. It will smooth it all out. Make sure you mix it in really well.

Whisk the lemon juice into the sauce. The acid helps to balance the heavy sauce. Remove the pasta from the water and add into the sauce with ½ cup parmesan, stirring with tongs to combine.

A good way to reheat any pasta is in a 10 inch skillet with a lid and some milk or cream in your case, or even just a bit of water to creates steam which heats the pasta . so medium high heat until pan is warm, put in your leftover pasta and liquid of choice, about 2 tablespoons should do it.