Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli
Forget heavy cream-based commercial Alfredo sauces - this is fettuccine Alfredo as it was originally, seasoned with salt, pepper, butter and cheese. Broccoli, fresh herbs and garlic add interest, texture, colour and taste, as does the tomato garnish, and the beauty of this dish is that you can adjust the ingredients to your own tastes and requirements, cutting down on carbs and fats if needs be. The main ingredients taste so good that a little butter and cheese go a long way.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 2 heads broccoli, more to taste
- 240g egg fettuccine
- butter to taste
- 3 tablespoons melting cheese such as Cheshire, to taste
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- grated nutmeg to taste
- chopped fresh herbs (chives, oregano, parsley)
- garlic puree to taste
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped, for garnish
Method
Prep:15min ›
Cook:20min ›
Ready in:35min
- Trim and clean the broccoli including that stout stem which if peeled and sliced thinly tastes just as good as the florets. Boil or steam lightly - al dente is far better than al mushy! Drain.
- In a separate pot cook the fettuccine al dente according to packet directions. Drain.
- As soon as the pasta and broccoli are drained, you will need to work fast, dressing the pasta with butter, cheeses, nutmeg, herbs, garlic puree, salt and pepper. Mix well, add the broccoli and garnish with chopped tomato. Then wolf down while it's hot!
Tip
I realise the use of Cheshire cheese in an Italian dish seems quite odd, but the tart, piquant taste and the crumbly melting texture actually worked very well. The original Alfredo was made with fresh Parmesan, but I only had dried - and the Cheshire, so I blended the two. The raw unseasoned tomato garnish combines beautifully with the richer ingredients.
