Vinny Sanfillipo offers a great, easy way to use a number of fresh ingredients from our retail store in a yummy fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms. Thanks Vinny! Continue reading to see how he did it…
A good friend once told me, “cream, butter, and garlic make everything better. Don’t be afraid of the fat, it’s your friend.” This pair of recipes exemplify just that. I offer to you my version of fettuccine alfredo with buttery mushrooms. I add red pepper flakes, flat leaf parsley and some freshly squeezed lemon juice to really freshen it up. Then, I mix in some mushrooms cooked with shallots, butter, and garlic to really beef up the flavor profile. I made this the other day for my roommates for Fat Tuesday, and needless to say, there were no leftovers. I doubt there will be for you either.
1 lb Fettuccine or other long pasta noodle (I sometimes make mine with linguine or spaghetti–whatever I have lying around in my cupboard.)
3/4 Quart Heavy Cream
~ 1 cup Parmegiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano (So listen. I know the stuff that comes in the jar is much cheaper, but it is really worth it to spend the extra Dinero and get the “good stuff. The “good stuff” is real cheese and the “cheap stuff” is, like, oil cheese blend.)
7/8 Stick O’ butter (Go with butter and not margarine. In recipes like this, you’ll notice the difference in flavor.)
Salt, to taste
White Pepper, to taste (Go easy here. Pepper isn’t the star. The Cream-Butter-Parm is.)
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
3 cloves garlic (I don’t like big chunks of garlic in my end product for this so I use a microplane or hand grater to grate them right into the pan. If you don’t own a grater, dice the garlic really finely before you put it in.)
1 lemon
Pinch of nutmeg
Some flat leaf parsley, chopped.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat. Grate in the three garlic cloves. Add a wee pinch of salt and the red pepper flakes and cook for two minutes. Then, add the cream and stir every so often, for 15 minutes or so.
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Salt it, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente, which means “with a bite”. It’s better to err on the side of underdone, as the pasta will continue to cook a little while you add the sauce and serve. If it’s almost past al dente, when you strain it, run it under some water to stop the cooking process. If it’s overcooked, I recommend restarting your noodles and tossing the overcooked ones.
After the cream has cooked for 15 minutes, add a pinch of nutmeg, some salt, the cheese, and white pepper and continue cooking it for about another 2 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add some cream. If it’s too thin, add some more cheese. Taste it to make sure it is just right.
Drain the noodles when they’re cooked, and put them back in the hot pot. Toss with the sauce. Squeeze a little lemon juice (FRESH) and parsley on each prior to serving. Enjoy!
This scrumptious addition to the alfredo really takes it to the next level. The meatiness of the mushrooms makes one forget that one is even eating vegetarian. I cook mine with shallot, butter, and garlic to really blend in with the alfredo sauce. These babies would also be delicious next to a steak.
Buttery Shrooms
1/4 lb Crimini Mushrooms (portobellos will work nicely here too) chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 lb White Button Mushrooms (If desired, one could use more portobellos or crimini instead.) chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large shallot, diced finely
1/8 lb Stick O’ Butter
Salt, to taste
3 cloves garlic
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan on medium heat. Grate in the garlic and add the shallots to the mix. Add salt and the red pepper flakes to the mix and stir, cooking for 1-3 minutes, until the shallot begins to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook until they get some color. Add some salt to season them, and then cook for another few minutes. Enjoy!