I was 18 years old and on my own, a half-starved and broke college student living in my first apartment in Glassboro, NJ. My Dad was in town for a business meeting and coming over for dinner. My Dad liked “fine” things. What could I make that would impress him? What could I place in front of him that would say I’m all grown up and look how worldly I have become?

The internet didn’t exist at the time, so I trolled the only aisle in my grocery store that I could afford – the pasta aisle. And there I found my first box of Fettuccini (wow! how gourmet!) with a little recipe on the back. There would be no ramen noodles for Dad on this night! This is creamy, rich upscale stuff here. I spent ¾ of my weekly food budget to buy all the ingredients and some fresh green beans for this all important meal.

Well, as it turns out, Dad made Fettuccini Alfredo all the time – huh, guess I wasn’t the worldly and refined person I was pretending to be. He looked at my recipe and the available ingredients and said you have to change this part – pointing to the amount of cream. The rest is history and this is how I mastered the art of excellent Fettuccini Alfredo.

The flat, wide shape of Fettuccini pasta originated in Rome in the early to mid 20th century and means Little Ribbons. Originally the recipe contained only Parmesan cheese and butter. When the dish became popular in the Unites States, cream was incorporated.

When my friends come to visit, they always request this meal. This is one of the few dishes my insanely picky children will eat voluntarily. Add some shrimp and scallops sautéed in garlic and wine or small pieces of sautéed chicken tenderloin for added protein. Feeling nostalgic? Add some freshly grated nutmeg to the sauce. There are a million ways to dress up this basic dish. Want to make your own pasta from scratch? Here is my favorite recipe.

I have kept this recipe secret for years because it is the only thing I can claim greatness in. Once my mother-in-law asked me for the recipe and I was about to give it to her, when I thought, what? No! This must remain my legacy! I mean, I have no great claim to fame and I don’t even particularly like my mother-in-law. Why would I share it with her? Well, you get older, kinder and wiser – and my mother-in-law doesn’t surf the web – so maybe it’s time to share.

Fettuccini Alfredo is a cheap, easy and quick meal. My one word of advice is this – get the best Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan in the US) cheese you can get your hands on and grate it yourself. If it comes from Italy, scoop it up because it’s the real deal. You have to grate the cheese yourself, thereby adding the love, to make this recipe work.

Buon Appetito!

Ready in 25 minutes

Serves 6  people

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 pound dry Fettuccini noodles
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook your noodles to package instructions (usually 9 minutes for a la dente).
2. While your pasta is cooking, in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, begin to melt the butter. Add heavy whipping cream and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes to incorporate. Reduce temperature slightly and add in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until cheese begins to melt and incorporate, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in white pepper to taste and chopped flat leaf parsley. The entire process should take around 8 minutes.
3. Drain pasta well in a colander and place in a large pasta bowl.
4. Immediately pour the cream sauce over the mixture and combine well, making sure all those lovely strands are tossed and coated with cheesy goodness.
5. Serve immediately because good pasta waits for no one!