I can’t confidently call this dish Fettuccine Alfredo because it isn’t exactly Alfredo, but it is kind of Alfredo! Whatever it is, this fettuccine has become a Christmas Eve tradition in my home. It’s a lovely, cozy dish, perfect for a cold and magical December’s eve. The sun-dried tomatoes and peas add texture, flavor, a smidge of nutrition, (have to combat that butter, cream, and cheese with somethin’ sometimes!), and a seasonally-appropriate color scheme.
Enjoy these springy, fresh noodles in their silky cheese sauce with a glass of champagne near the Christmas tree.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (cheese!)
Christmas Eve Fettuccine Recipe
Christmas Eve Fettuccine
Ingredients
- 16 oz fresh fettuccine
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large garlic cloves grated or pressed
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 + 1/2 cups pasta water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ¼ cup packed sun-dried tomatoes
- fresh black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 5 oz of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and peas and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times during cooking (I like to use tongs for this.) Reserve 1 + 1/2 cups of the pasta water and drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest and cook 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir, cooking 1 minute more.
- Increase heat to medium, stir in the pasta water and cream, and bring to a simmer. When the sauce is simmering, add a little parmesan cheese at a time while whisking, melting completely before adding more (be patient here, if too much cheese is added at once, you’ll have a lumpy mess!) Continue whisking constantly and briskly, adding a little cheese at a time, until all of the cheese has been melted and incorporated completely. Simmer the sauce a few minutes more, until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Return the fettuccine and peas to the large pot along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the sauce over the top and toss gently with tongs to coat. Serve topped with fresh black pepper and more cheese.
Fresh Pasta Recipe
Easy Homemade Fresh Pasta Dough (Without Semolina!)
Servings: 1 lb pasta dough
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups flour divided
- 1 tsp salt,
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs to blend. Add 1 3/4 cups of the flour, the salt, and the olive oil, and mix with a fork until just moistened. Use your hands to mix into a shaggy dough.
- Turn out onto a clean surface and knead with your hands about 5-8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic (this takes some elbow grease!) If the dough is too wet, add a little more of the remaining flour as needed. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest at least 30 minutes. (Pasta can be made up to a day in advance. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
- When you are ready to roll and cut, divide the dough ball into 6 pieces and work with one at a time, keeping the other 5 pieces set aside and covered with the plastic wrap. Use a pasta roller to roll each piece to your desired thickness (you can also use a rolling pin if you don’t have a pasta roller, but a roller will make the process much easier!) I roll ravioli to a 7 (the second to thinnest setting on most rollers), lasagne to a 7, fettuccine to a 6, and farfalle to a 6. If you want to re-roll the pasta dough scraps, form them into a ball and allow to rest 30 minutes before rolling.
- Cook fresh pasta in well-salted boiling water for 1-3 minutes (cooking time usually depends on the size of the pasta.) Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to cook a bit more once it has been drained from residual heat.
Tell me what you think in the comments below!
