Fettucine Alfredo

1 pound whole grain fettucine (we use brown rice fettucine)
6 TBSP butter or ghee
1 shallot, minced
1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
1/2 tsp pure salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish (optional)

• Cook the fettucine in salted water until al dente.
• While noodles are cooking, melt the ghee or butter in a saucepan (large enough to eventually hold the pasta) over medium heat.
• Add shallots and saute just a few minutes until tender.
• Add milk, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
• Cook, stirring frequently until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Drain noodles in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
• Add the noodles, reserved liquid, and half of the cheese into the butter-milk mixture and toss to combine thoroughly.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide into individual servings, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, garnish with parsley or basil if using, and serve with lemon wedges if you’d like.

Serves 3 – 6, depending on portion size.

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SIDE NOTES:

~ As most already know, fettucine alfredo is a pretty heavy, rich dish. Not one that appeals to me very often, but once in a while, thick, cheesy noodles <em>do</em> hit the spot. When you’ve got milk in the fridge that you have to use up, this is one way to do it.

~ If you don’t use milk products, I highly recommend this delicious, dairy free, alternative, noodle dish (which I actually prefer myself if I’m not trying to use up an abundance of milk):  FETTUCCINE-W-PINE-NUT-SAUCE.

~ Using a microplane hand grater/zester for the cheese yields a very fine shred that melts easily into a smooth sauce. Of course, you can shred it with a regular shredder, but the sauce might be slightly lumpy (not that big of a deal). Alternately, you can use pre-shredded cheese, but for best taste and optimal freshness, shredding yourself will yield superior results.

~ You can substitute garlic for the shallot if you prefer.

~ Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/fettucine-alfredo-recipe2/index.html

Note to self: Cook Tinkyada brown rice fettucine no longer than 8 minutes (contrary to package directions).

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