FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

I love Italian food! One of our favorite meals is homemade pasta with Alfredo sauce. My kids love this. You can cheat and use store bought pasta in a pinch, but if you feel adventurous, go for the homemade version!

ALFREDO SAUCE

3 oz. shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 T. unsalted butter
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 t. kosher salt

Place butter in a small saucepan. When melted, add cream and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss pasta with sauce, then add shredded cheese just before serving.

Optional: Toss in some chicken, steamed broccoli, or a grind of fresh pepper.

EGG PASTA

4 large eggs (1/2 cup)
1/2 c. water
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt

Combine eggs, water, flour, and salt. Mix in mixer for 30 seconds. Knead with dough hook for 2 minutes. Hand knead for 2 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into fourths. Roll out into sheets and then into fettuccine strips. I use a pasta roller/cutter that attaches to my mixer. If you don't have a pasta cutter, a pizza cutter works just fine to cut into fettuccine strips. If you have trouble with the dough sticking to the roller, dust your pasta sheet with flour. This helps immensely.

To cook fresh pasta, boil in very salty water for 6 minutes. Pasta will float to the top of the water so stir occasionally to keep it cooking evenly. Drain in a colander.

You can make the pasta ahead of time and dry it. To cook dried pasta, boil for 7 minutes.

Always make the sauce first, then make the pasta, then boil it. This way you avoid having the noodles stick together. You can re-warm the sauce for a minute just before tossing it with the pasta. Enjoy!