Saturday, August 11, 2012

Fettuccine Alfredo with toasted pinenuts


I usually just make this for our Christmas Eve dinner to go along as a side dish with Beef Wellington, or a Maple Glazed Ham or a Prime Rib. But I had a craving so I made it last night. (It was soooo Good!!!)  You can add Chicken to it as well. For my Christmas Eve dinner I use the green and white mix of fettuccine, it looks so festive! At the table before serving I grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top, the first time I did this and now every year since, my kids started the tradition of singing "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Ingredients:
1 small bag of pine nuts (1/2 cup)
1 lb box of Fettuccine dry pasta
1 pint of Heavy Cream (2 cups)
2 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed with side of large knife
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup (plus more for garnish) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan cheese wedge-you can find it in the Deli department).
Freshly cracked black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 hand full)

Directions: *(try to time the cooking of the pasta with the alfredo cooking time, so they are done at the same time)
  • Toast your pine nuts until golden in a non-stick pan stirring them as they toast on the stove or put them on a cooking sheet and place in oven under the broiler (watch it so they don't burn!).
  • Cook Fettuccine in plenty of boiling, salted water until pasta is al dente, (about 12 minutes). Drain and set aside on a warmed serving dish or platter (you can warm serving dish in the oven on a low temp or in the dish washer on the drying/heat setting).
  • *While pasta is boiling, heat heavy cream and smashed garlic cloves over medium heat in a deep sauce pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Fish out garlic cloves with a slotted spoon and discard. Sprinkle in the 1 cup of cheese and stir to incorporate. Keep stirring, don't let it come to a boil or you'll burn the bottom, so watch, stir frequently and reduce heat if needed. Cook until it thickens (or coats the back of a spoon), add more parmesan cheese if its not thick enough. 
  • Season the Alfredo sauce with freshly cracked black pepper and add a few pinches of freshly grated nutmeg.
  • Pour the sauce over the fettuccine and add the pine nuts and the parsley; gently toss the pasta to coat in the sauce.
  • Top with more grated cheese. Serve immediately.

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