Low-Fat Fettuccine Alfredo

Submitted by senseicheryl

"Here is a recipe that was featured in an email today from the www.cookscountry.com website. "Most standard recipes for Fettuccine Alfredo call for copious amounts of cream, butter and cheese. We wondered if a slimmed-down version of this decadent dish would be worth attempting and, most importantly, worth eating. Much to our excitement, we found we could cut three-quarters of the fat from our original recipe and still produce an Alfredo big on creamy, rich flavor and texture. Here are some of the ways we did it. Test Kitchen Discoveries Instead of heavy cream, we used a combination of whole milk and half-and-half to create a reduced-fat sauce that was both creamy and rich-tasting. To replicate the thickening effect of heavy cream, we settled on a roux made with just 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons of flour. This combination thickened our sauce effectively. By adding just a pinch of nutmeg and a lot of fresh-ground pepper, we were able to give our sauce a robust savory flavor. Simmering a crushed garlic clove in the sauce added an even deeper level of flavor.""

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 4 bowl of pasta
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup whole milk
• 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 dash salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 (9 ounce) package fresh fettuccine

directions

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Using ladle, fill each of 4 individual serving bowls with about 1/2 cup boiling water. Set aside.
2. Heat butter over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, half-and-half, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard garlic, stir in Parmesan, and remove from heat.
3. Stir 1 tablespoon salt and pasta into boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
4. Return sauce to low heat, add 1/3 cup pasta water and cooked pasta; toss until evenly coated. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add more cooking water as needed to thin sauce to proper consistency and adjust seasonings. Working quickly, empty water from warmed bowls and fill with pasta. Serve immediately.