Serves 4 | Easy
I remember the first time I had Fettuccine Alfredo. To my very young palate it tasted utterly creamy with hints of sweetness that was much appreciated at that age. The whole experience was easy, effortless, and comfortable. That made it for me! I liked it. Growing up, I have tried many variations for Fettuccine Alfredo. Some add nutmeg, some add basil, some use mushrooms, some go without. Every time I tried one, I always found something I liked. I have decided that this is one dish, very open for additions, and can make a good base to many other pasta dishes. Fettuccine Alfredo, is a rich dish, but a very good one nonetheless. It can be had on its own, or served as a side to meat or poultry dishes. It can even be served as part of an appetiser, like the Trio of Pasta Appetiser, where you serve small portions of 3 kinds of pasta to start a meal.
The Classic Fettuccine Alfredo is done the same as in this recipe, except without the Mushrooms.
For this recipe 2 types of Mushrooms were used - button mushrooms and Swiss brown mushrooms - but you are not limited to these types, you can choose any type of Mushroom that you fancy. You can even take the dish to another level by adding shavings of black truffles on top. Or you can simply drizzle some white truffle oil to finish. The flavours of Fettuccine Alfredo are very open for additions, as I mentioned. This is a good place to experiment with different flavours and textures. You can even use it as a vehicle to create a whole new recipe like Portabella Mushroom and Pecans Pasta in White Sauce, or Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and sage...
Here is how this Fettucine Alfredo with Mushrooms is made...
You Need
250g dried Fettuccine (can also use spinach Fettuccine)
1 tbsp butter or margarine (can substitute with the same amount Extra virgin olive oil)
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250g button mushrooms, peeled & halved
250g Swiss brown mushrooms, peeled & quartered
3/4 cup half-and-half, or light cream
1/2 cup chicken broth | stock
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Cook Pasta in a large pot of boiling water until Al Dente (as explained in Understanding Pasta, All There is To Know).
Heat butter or oil in a large saucepan; add onion & garlic, stir till tender but not browned. Add mushrooms & cook stirring till mushrooms are browned and softened. Stir in Broth and simmer uncovered until reduced by half. Stir in the cream and 1/2 the amount of Oregano bringing to a boil. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the pasta. Add pasta to cream sauce and toss to coat. add Parmesan cheese and toss to mix. Transfer fettuccine into serving dish and sprinkle with cracked black pepper and the rest of the chopped Oregano. Serve warm as a starter or next to a grilled meat, fish, poultry option.
Do you like cream-based pasta dishes? Which cream-based pasta dish is your favourite? Let me know, leave a comment, I love to hear your thoughts :)
