Recipe(tried): Fettucine Alfredo

When I make fettucine alfredo at home, I boil the noodles, drain them quickly & pour back into the pan with a little of the cooking water (maybe a few table-spoons). Toss with some good quality unsalted butter, a generous handful of grated Parmesan (I use one that comes from Argentina; it is relatively inexpensive with a great flavor) and some cream. I think the classic recipe uses no cream but a very different butter than we usually get here. Add sufficient cream to make a sauce. Make it a little thinner than you would think necessary--it will thicken a bit. The heat from the noodles should be sufficient to melt everything. Some restaurants make the dish at the table on a platter.

The following recipe is from The Vegetarian Epicure by Thomas. It has a French style to it. It is a convenient sauce to make ahead of time and will store for a few days in the fridge. I used it in a restaurant with excellent results.

for 1 lb noodles:

1 1/2c cream (very fresh or use cr me fra che)
1 1/2c Parmesan (5 1/2 oz.)
1/2c butter
2 egg yolks
salt and white pepper
1/2c fresh chopped parsley

Heat cream to simmer. Stir in cheese bit by bit. Keep on low heat for 10 minutes. Incorporate butter bit by bit. When smooth, add a small amount of this mixture to the beaten yolks. Add yolks to mixture and whisk smooth. (probably here you should make sure that the heat is at least 145 F for at least 15 seconds or use pasteurized eggs). Season. Pour over noodles and garnish with parsley. 6 servings.

As I recall, half and half used in the above recipe works very well.