When time is tight and I need a simple way to make a satisfying meal, I鈥檒l head to my pantry and pull out some pasta. I always keep some on hand for situations like this, because I know that if I combine it with a handful of other ingredients, it won鈥檛 be long before I鈥檓 serving up a bowl of something good.
Most times, the pasta dish I鈥檒l create will be on the lighter side, such as a tomato-sauce-based creation strewn with vegetables, topped with a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
But every once in a while, I want something richer, more rib sticking. When I鈥檓 in the mood for that, I鈥檒l often make fettuccini Alfredo. Long noodles tossed with garlicky cream, butter, olive oil and cheese 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 get much richer than that.
If you鈥檙e wondering who decided that combining these things was a good idea, lore suggests preparing pasta this way began in Italy long ago.
Well, sort of.
I say sort of, because fettuccini Alfredo is an Italian/American version of a much older Italian pasta dish: fettuccini al burro, or fettuccini with Parmesan cheese and butter.
Food history websites suggest that in the late 1880s, a man named Alfredo di Lelio made a version of this dish to serve to his pregnant wife, who had an upset stomach, but still needed sustenance.
She liked it, so when Di Lelio later opened a restaurant in Italy, he put the dish on the menu, calling it fettuccini al triplo burro. Triplo means triple, indicating a good amount of butter was used.
Alfredo di Lelio became famous for that pasta dish, which started turning up in other parts of the world. As a nod to the inventor, it became known as fettuccini Alfredo in places such as the United States. As time passed, the American version of fettuccini Alfredo began to incorporate cream, creating a dish quite different from what is served in Italy.
If you鈥檙e in the mood for that creamy style of pasta, here is my version of fettuccini Alfredo, which serves two. To lighten things up a bit, I like to serve a simple green salad before, or alongside, the pasta.
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Fettuccini Alfredo for Two
This creamy pasta dish is rich with butter, olive oil, garlic and two types of Italian cheese. Serve it with crusty bread if you want something with which to clean up the bowls once the pasta is eaten.
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Preparation time: Five minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes
Makes: Two servings
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200 to 225 grams dry fettuccini
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium or large garlic clove, minced
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup coarsely grated asiago cheese
1/4 cup freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese (not the dried powder type), plus some for the table
鈥� salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to taste
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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, about eight to 10 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, place butter and oil in a nine- or 10-inch wide skillet set over medium heat. When butter is melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant and just slightly golden, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Add cream to the skillet, bring to a simmer and simmer until cream has reduced by a quarter and thickened slightly, about one minute. Mix in the asiago and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and stir. Heat until both are melted and a smooth sauce is created. Season sauce with salt and pepper and reserve on low heat.
When the pasta is cooked, add 1/4 cup of its cooking liquid to the alfredo sauce, then drain the pasta well. Add the pasta to the alfredo, toss to combine and let it cook 30 seconds more.
Divide the pasta between two bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serve pasta with additional Parmesan cheese, for grating and sprinkling on at the table.
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Cookbook supports B.C. burn fund
This year, the Saanich Fire Fighters Charitable Association will publish the Fire to Fork Charitable Cookbook. It鈥檚 a photo-rich, fantastic and diverse collection of recipes created by local chefs and other food lovers, with locally sourced food the focus of many.
Some of the groups and eateries involved in the project include Eat Magazine, Lure Restaurant and Bar, The Bengal Lounge, 10 Acres Bistro and Bar, Blue Nile East African Restaurant, Thrifty Foods, The Reef and the Tibetan Kitchen.
All profits generated from sales of the book will go to the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund. To help raise funds to cover printing costs, the Saanich Fire Fighters Charitable Association has organized a Go Fund Me campaign at gofundme.com/fire-to-fork-fire-fighter-cookbook.
For every $20 they donate to the campaign, donors will receive a copy of the Fire to Fork Charitable Cookbook when it鈥檚 published this year 鈥� a 30 per cent discount from the posted price of $29.99.
It鈥檚 going to be a fabulous book, so please help out the Saanich Fire Fighters by making your online donation today.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His latest is The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
