Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

February 7: National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

Whether we are in Italy (Rome, Florence and Venice), Little Italy in New York City or just at an Italian restaurant in town, Islander always picks a pasta dish with shrimp and garlic. She seems to be more adventurous in her travels but not so much in her meal choices. But why mess with a favorite flavoring in food? For National Fettuccine Alfredo Day, she added shrimp and garlic to flat pasta noodles, fettucine, in a classic creamy and cheesy sauce. Now, without going too far or spending too much, we can enjoy a simple taste of Italy right in the comfort of our own home. Buon appetito!

Recipe

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccine, cooked al dente
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided use
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (we used grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese)
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Cook the fettuccine and keep warm in a large, buttered mixing bowl while making the sauce. In a skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat and saute the shrimp until pink. Transfer the shrimp to another bowl and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute the garlic in the remaining tablespoon of butter for about a minute. Stir in the half-and-half.

Gradually mix in the Parmesan cheese. Add the parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg, stirring the sauce constantly but being careful not to boil over. When thickened, gently mix the sauce with the fettuccine until well combined. Toss in the shrimp. Serve hot with a garnish of parsley (optional) and sprinkle additional cheese on top, if desired.

Notes

• The original fettuccine alfredo recipe was cooked very simply with only three ingredients. Read a short article about the dish’s origins on The Today Show site.
• Alfredo sauce can be made with full-fat or double cream and a blend of grated Parmigiano (Parmesan) and Reggiano cheeses. The cheese, not cornstarch or flour, helps to thicken the alfredo sauce.
• For added color and texture in this fettuccine alfredo recipe, saute one cup of diced tomatoes and one cup of sliced mushrooms with the shrimp. For added spice, sprinkle in some dried red pepper flakes.