alfredo sauce help


 
Dan H.

Dan H.

TVWBB Pro
well we ate at a place that had GREAT alfredo sauce. knowing nothing about it it just looked and tasted great. Looked like a lot of melted butter in it or something, maybe this is normal but i've never noticed before..kind of different looking and tasting, best I've had so far. Anyone have an idea of a recipie that would be a good start that I could play with and see if I could get close. I want to say the tastes were simple but that butter looking stuff really made it.. if it helps any it was creamy and smooth but when looking closely it almost had a seperating look, like it was trying to curdle or something.. I know thats strange but I cant describe it. anyone know how it could be done? thanks a lot. this is probably another toughy because of lack of description or info, but was hoping someone with more experience with pasta and stuff then me could help, maybe this will ring a bell w/ you. very good sauce. If its to strange or hard to say would you mind passing off your fav.. recipie so far,
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thanks a million.
 
For Alfredo sauce it's butter, cheese and heavy cream, along with pepper (I prefer white). Using a very high quality cheese is important IMO.
Here's one from Tyler Florence,
Alfredo Sauce:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
 
The 'curdle' look could have been from the cheese. There are too many alfedo recipes to list. The purists go back to butter and parm cheese only. Some add cream (very popular now), some make a roux to thicken it, some add garlic and herbs... I'd recommend to keep is very simple for starters and use quality ingredients. This includes your pasta! If you can get fresh pasta (or want to make it) do that. In Italy, it's all about the pasta, not the sauce.

Paul
 
The original is actually cream and butter with cheese. It is a pan sauce, i.e., it is made a la minute, not ahead of time. See here and two posts down as well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> The original is actually cream and butter with cheese. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I recall reading about Alfredo di Lelio who created a dish for his pregnant wife. That version started out with just Parmigiano and butter. In Italy that's called pasta al burro. I'm thinking that when the recipe came to the states, cream was introduced. So technically, without the cream, I guess it's 'al burro'.

This may have all come from the book 'Heat' by Bill Buford. An entertaining read, but I'm not sure of his historical accuracy.

Paul
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">In Italy that's called pasta al burro. I'm thinking that when the recipe came to the states, cream was introduced. So technically, without the cream, I guess it's 'al burro'. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Correct on all points and it does have historical accuracy. 'Al burro' has been a round, of ourse, for a long time, long before di Lelio, and, if not at a tourist place in Italy, that's what you'll get if ordering 'Alfredo'. It became popular here and its original version, here, was made with cream, as a pan sauce.
 
Hey Dan...

Not sure if it's the case here, but often times when you have an alfredo that looks to "curdle" it's because it's been brought to too high of a temperature...

I've seen this at my home as well as in restaurants
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The key is to have a high-enough temp as to melt the cheese, but not cause curdling.

Patients is the key...

-Jason
 
Patience is the key. Hard cheeses will take significantly longer to melt than soft cheeses. Grate the parm with a Microplane and it will melt more easily -- though still take some time. Correct, do not overheat. Moderate temps only.
 
Yes, I often do. Or I sometimes just reduce it first, partially, while I am doing something else.
 
more then helpfull everyone, thanks. I'de like to take a swing at it very soon, and will. thats funny Jason, I was laughing at your second sentance. Sounds like me in the kitchen.. just posted about a pan in Kitchen equip. section. ...man maybe I should just do take out.
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We make it all of the time, but we use oregano instead of parsley. Fresh cheese must be amazing, but pre-grated Parmesan cheese is delicious too. We add all the ingredients and then reduce it. Also, as Kevin pointed out, it's not something you make ahead of time - as soon as the sauce is ready, you ladle some on, cook for a couple more seconds and then eat.
 
That's right, bringing this one out of the basement.
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Made some Fettucini Alfredo with mushrooms for tonights dinner. It turned out really good. Just cooking for one so here's what I did.
1/2 stick, unsalted butter
1/2 pint heavy cream
parm grated on a micro plane grater, prob about 2 cups, but it was so light and fluffy, about 4-5 ozs of cheese.
8 ozs. fettucini
several twists from the white pepper mill
and a scant grating of nutmeg.
I followed Kevin's directions from here as to melt the butter, add garlic and keep it low. When the fettucini was almost cooked through, I drained it well, and added that to the butter garlic in the pan. Then I added the heavy cream, and grated parm. Heat was med low the entire time. Cooked till the cheese was melted, and the sauce thickened, about 8-10 min. Added the mushrooms and parsely in at the end, and gave it a quick stir. Added more grated parm and parsley once plated. This was very good and the sauce was so smooth and creamy. Quick and so easy to make.

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