There's No Cream In Martha Stewart's Fettuccine Alfredo – Here's What Makes It Creamy Beyond Belief

When it comes to the best-ever pasta recipes, fettuccine Alfredo is a classic. It's creamy, savory, and the perfect comfort food; however, while many American versions of this meal use heavy cream to create the sauce, Martha Stewart sticks to the original ingredients, but with an upgrade that only she could have dreamed up. Alfredo di Lelio, the culinary creator of this dish, used butter and Parmesan cheese with fresh egg pasta when he first made it in 1908. Stewart shuns the cream and uses these same ingredients as di Lelio, along with some starchy pasta water to create a rich sauce that clings to the noodles. 

But what separates the cookbook author's sauce from di Lelio's sauce is her technique. She utilizes a standing mixer to slowly whip the butter and cheese together before adding the reserved hot pasta water, along with a little pepper. The result is a delicate yet velvety, smooth emulsion. Stewart's take on this dish removes the heaviness that cream adds. That said, if you are going to go the traditional route, the way the Parmesan cheese is prepped matters.

If you are going to make fettuccine pasta with classic (no cream) Alfredo sauce like Martha Stewart, you will want to skip the pre-grated Parmesan. While it is definitely convenient, the added anti-caking ingredients keep it from melting as nicely as needed to create a silky sauce. Instead, give yourself a little extra time so you can grate it the old-fashioned way with a box grater. You will be able to taste the difference. The nutty, salty flavor will also be more pronounced. 

Stewart starts with unsalted butter at room temperature. This way it melts evenly with the cheese as the mixer slowly whips the two together, and it doesn't seize when you add the hot pasta water. This would make your sauce gritty and grainy, and no one wants that. You can use these same ingredients and Stewart's method when you make creamy chicken Alfredo pasta. And if you want to put your own thumbprint on this sauce, consider adding a little lemon zest to the butter and cheese for a lemony fettuccine Alfredo pasta dish that will make you feel like you are in Italy.