gtwy

Heavy Cream Alfredo

Decadent, garlicky Alfredo sauce that's worlds better than store-bought—made with real butter, heavy whipping cream, 3 full cups of hand-grated Parmesan, and subtle nutmeg warmth. Whisked low and slow to prevent separation, then tossed with al dente pasta straight from the pot for maximum creaminess.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
  • 2-3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 8oz block Parmesan cheese (3 cups grated)
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Extras

  • A big cheese grater
  • Whisk w/ rubber coating

Directions

Grate an entire 8oz block of Parmesan. It should yield about 3 cups.

Crush and dice up 3 gloves of garlic

Start boiling your water for your pasta. Anything with a lot of bends or spirals will do the trick (cavatappi, shellbow, casareccia, etc.)

Melt ½ cup (1 whole stick) unsalted butter in a pan. I used a dutch oven because of the high sides (no splashing). Do not cover the dutch oven for the entire duration of this cook. Start with low heat, do not brown the butter. Once melted, put the garlic in and cook for about a minute.

You'll need a whisk. Preferably one with rubber so that you aren't scratching the pot.

Slowly pour the cream in and whisk it gently for about 5 minutes. You must be moving your hand almost the entire time.

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the cheese a handful or so at a time. Whisk it in until it melts. Then do the next handful.

When all the cheese is melted, return to heat for 4 to 5 minutes to thicken. Do not boil or cheese will separate from cream. Season with salt, you will need a lot of it.

Add the nutmeg and pepper, then double check flavor. Some people substitute white pepper, it depends on my mood.

At this point, the alfredo sauce is done, but you should keep mixing it until the pasta is ready to go. Keep over low heat.

Once your water starts to boil, put the noodles in on the low end of the instructions (usually about 11 minutes). Occasionally stir noodles with one hand and whisk the sauce with another.

Remove noodles from water, but do not spray them off or overly dry them. Just toss them into the dutch oven, still a bit wet, so that the alfredo sauce gets some of the pasta water. Use a spoon to fully mix sauce and noodles together. Taste and continue to cook in pan on low heat if noodles are not completely done yet. Remove from heat when noodles and cheese are perfectly combined and noodles taste finished.

Grate aged parmesan (the good stuff) over the noodles once plated.

NOTE

You cannot use pre-shredded cheese. They coat that stuff with a film to keep it from sticking back together in the packaging which means it won't melt right into an Alfredo sauce.