# Secret ingredient for Alfredo sauce!



## ABmtroyal9

If you are a pasta lover and love Alfredo sauce...
When making an Alfredo sauce try adding cinnamon!
just a pinch and or enough to taste! 
It may seem strange but it is absolutely delicious!


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## Greg Who Cooks

Interesting comment... What would you think about nutmeg? I've noticed a dash of nutmeg is often added to creamy or cheesy sauces, like Béchamel or Velouté.


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## Addie

I add a pinch of dry mustard. It give the sauce a light kick.


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## no mayonnaise

I always add a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg to white sauces.


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## PolishedTopaz

*I don't know about you, but a handful of rendered panchetta works WONDERS for alfredo!*


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## Aunt Bea

A hit of cayenne pepper is nice in a cream or cheese sauce.

I will give the cinnamon a try.  I have used it in some Greek tomato based sauces with good results and also in chocolate brownies as a back flavor.


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## Andy M.

At some point it stops being Alfredo sauce...


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## CWS4322

I find that a bit of freshly ground nutmeg works.


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## taxlady

Andy M. said:


> At some point it stops being Alfredo sauce...



+1


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## Dawgluver

taxlady said:
			
		

> +1



+2


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## Greg Who Cooks

What is the "official" Alfredo recipe? The one you can't add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne. I've always finished off sauces with trace amounts of this or that spice, to give the sauces my own tweak. (If you add enough that somebody can tell then you've added too much.)


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## jennyema

ABmtroyal9 said:


> If you are a pasta lover and love Alfredo sauce...
> When making an Alfredo sauce try adding cinnamon!
> just a pinch and or enough to taste!
> It may seem strange but it is absolutely delicious!



Nutmeg is the traditional addition but I hate it and cinnamon would be even worse, sorry.


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## jennyema

Andy M. said:


> At some point it stops being Alfredo sauce...



+3


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## TATTRAT

Andy M. said:


> At some point it stops being Alfredo sauce...



exactly.


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> What is the "official" Alfredo recipe? The one you can't add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne. I've always finished off sauces with trace amounts of this or that spice, to give the sauces my own tweak. (If you add enough that somebody can tell then you've added too much.)




What's the point of adding something that you can't taste?

AS for "official" recipes, there are a couple, but the best al minute is simply adding cream, and egg yolk, stir constantly, once it starts to thicken, toss in the pasta, some green peas, maybe some ham, cheese and finish with butter. . .not too unlike a carbonara. Also, just a simple cream redux, with some parm, black pepper, and finish with butter. Just don't let it break.


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## Greg Who Cooks

TATTRAT said:


> What's the point of adding something that you can't taste?



I didn't say I was adding something that "you" can't taste. I was discussing adding something that doesn't shout what it is, something that changes the taste in a subtle way that people don't know what you added.

If you've added enough that somebody says, "Ah, you added nutmeg," then you added too much nutmeg.


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## GB

I made fettuccine alfredo  for dinner last night. Butter, heavy cream, parm, salt pepper. So simple and so delicious.


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## TATTRAT

GB said:


> I made fettuccine alfredo  for dinner last night. Butter, heavy cream, parm, salt pepper. So simple and so delicious.




that's the case with Alfredo, imo. It is certainly one of those less is more sauces, and k.i.s.s.


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## Cerise

I sometimes add crushed red pepper flakes. 

Here's an interesting read on the history/origin of Fettuccine Alfredo.

The Original Fettuccine Alfredo - food - TODAY.com


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## LPBeier

Andy M. said:


> At some point it stops being Alfredo sauce...


+4 (or with Tatt's "exactly" I guess it is + 5 )


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## LPBeier

GB said:


> I made fettuccine alfredo  for dinner last night. Butter, heavy cream, parm, salt pepper. So simple and so delicious.


Years ago a restaurant in Vancouver, aptly named "Alfredo's" made the best Alfredo sauce I have ever had before or since.  I got to talk to the chef once and asked what made the sauce so special - he said that not trying to make it special was the key.  

The ingredients you mentioned, GB are exactly what he used.  Of course he didn't give me amounts and it took me awhile to get it right!  Oh, he didn't even use pepper but the waiter would come around with this huge pepper grinder and offer some for the top.  A perfect addition!


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## GB

I actually left the pepper out because my kids don't enjoy it, but added some freshly fround to my plate.

Actually I should correct myself. I did not cook this. My daughter did. It was her first time making dinner and she did a great job!


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## Rocklobster

I've got to add a bit of white wine to my Alfredo. But, then again, I add wine to lots of things. Especially myself...
Olive oil, or butter
garlic
white wine, reduce
cream
reduce and thicken
then finish with parmesan, fresh parsley and cracked black pepper....


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## PattY1

jennyema said:


> Nutmeg is the traditional addition but I hate it and cinnamon would be even worse, sorry.




I don't hate nutmeg and cinnamon but IMHO they belong in desserts not savory dishes!!


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## Addie

+6


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## PattY1

Addie said:


> +6




What does +6 mean?


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## Addie

PattY1 said:


> What does +6 mean?


 
I am the sixth person who agrees with a statement made by a previous poster.

The statement was "At some point it stops being Alfredo Sauce." Or something similar.


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## Andy M.

When a poster makes a post you agree with, you post +1 to show you agree with it.  The next person posts +2, etc.

When you post a +1 etc, you should quote the post you are agreeing with so it's clear.


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## DampCharcoal

Well, whatever the heck it is, I like my non-Alfredo Sauce with a couple of sprinkles of nutmeg and a couple of dashes of Frank's Red Hot.

So there!


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## taxlady

PattY1 said:


> I don't hate nutmeg and cinnamon but IMHO they belong in desserts not savory dishes!!



I call them "cookie spices": nutmeg, cinnamon, dry ginger, cloves, allspice, cardamom, vanilla. DH doesn't get it. I tell him to look with the cookie spices. The only one of those I haven't used in a savoury dish is dry ginger, but I do use fresh ginger with savoury.


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## vitauta

i don't understand the objection to adding a favorite seasoning, or several, to one's personal alfredo sauce recipe.  the original alfredo sauce had no cream in it.  when americans liked our alfredo sauce better with cream added, i suppose the case could have been made that it was no longer authentic.  does meatloaf cease being meatloaf when hundreds of different variations (beginning with the meat mixture itself) are created?  do we insist on renaming every recipe that most every good cook tweaks in order to give it her own special touch?

and i don't really care about the nomenclature all that much as it relates to this alfredo sauce question.  i do believe staunch rules imposed on "sacred" recipes are misdirected when applied to family cooking, howver....


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## DampCharcoal

I agree, vituata. 

Try assigning one and only one chili recipe as the only authentic chili recipe and you'll have a civil war on your hands.

It's kinda the same thing. Lighten up, folks.


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## CraigC

PattY1 said:


> I don't hate nutmeg and cinnamon but IMHO they belong in desserts not savory dishes!!


 
No mole' for you? Maybe no "jerk"? Cinnamon can be your friend in savory!


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## LPBeier

DampCharcoal said:


> I agree, vituata.
> 
> Try assigning one and only one chili recipe as the only authentic chili recipe and you'll have a civil war on your hands.
> 
> It's kinda the same thing. Lighten up, folks.


I can only speak for myself but by agreeing to the statement I am saying that personally I don't like to mess with a good thing when it comes to Alfredo Sauce.  I am not saying I don't think anyone else should.


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## DampCharcoal

LPBeier said:


> I can only speak for myself but by agreeing to the statement I am saying that personally I don't like to mess with a good thing when it comes to Alfredo Sauce. I am not saying I don't think anyone else should.


 
Well, let me put it this way. Recipes are by and large evolutionary. 

There's a saying that if you want to insult the French, point out that they learned their techniques from Italians. If you want to insult the Italians, point out that they learned their techniques from the Greeks.

I'm just saying that there is no such thing as an absolute recipe. 

Personal touches are just fine.


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## PattY1

CraigC said:


> No mole' for you? Maybe no "jerk"? Cinnamon can be your friend in savory!



No mole'. Chocolate in Food other than desserts  sounds gross to me. I have had Jerk seasoning, it didn't have a  pronounced cinnamon taste.




LPBeier said:


> I can only speak for myself but by agreeing to the statement I am saying that personally I don't like to mess with a good thing.  I am not saying I don't think anyone else should.



^That.


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## LPBeier

DampCharcoal said:


> Well, let me put it this way. Recipes are by and large evolutionary.
> 
> There's a saying that if you want to insult the French, point out that they learned their techniques from Italians. If you want to insult the Italians, point out that they learned their techniques from the Greeks.
> 
> I'm just saying that there is no such thing as an absolute recipe.
> 
> Personal touches are just fine.



I don't want to get into a war of words here.   You don't know much about my style but I do a lot of playing with flavours and styles of cooking.  I think you may be taking this all a bit too serious.  I have actually tried different versions of Alfredo sauce and have liked some of them.  But personally I keep it plain and simple.  

And I don't think anyone here has actually said there is no such thing as an absolute recipe - its more a matter of if it ain't broke don't fix it .


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## GB

I don't think anyone is saying not to enjoy how you made what you call Alfredo sauce. Some are just saying that at a certain point, after adding things, it is no longer Alfredo sauce. That does not mean what you have made is not delicious or in any way less that a true Alfredo. What if I added shrimp and seafood stock to my Alfredo sauce? Is it still Alfredo? What about if I don't like cheese so I substitute something else? Like Andy said, at some point it turns into something else and not Alfredo.


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## DampCharcoal

LPBeier, I wasn't trying to be contentious, I was just pointing out that there's nothing wrong with straying from the formula.


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## LPBeier

GB said:


> I don't think anyone is saying not to enjoy how you made what you call Alfredo sauce. Some are just saying that at a certain point, after adding things, it is no longer Alfredo sauce. That does not mean what you have made is not delicious or in any way less that a true Alfredo. What if I added shrimp and seafood stock to my Alfredo sauce? Is it still Alfredo? What about if I don't like cheese so I substitute something else? Like Andy said, at some point it turns into something else and not Alfredo.





DampCharcoal said:


> LPBeier, I wasn't trying to be contentious, I was just pointing out that there's nothing wrong with straying from the formula.



You, and everyone else, are saying the same thing -  Garlic Alfredo, Seafood Alfredo, Pesto Alfredo, Tomato Alfredo....and Alfredo Alfredo

And this is the last I will say in the matter - it is making me hungry.


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## SaucyChefette

vitauta said:


> i don't understand the objection to adding a favorite seasoning, or several, to one's personal alfredo sauce recipe.   i do believe staunch rules imposed on "sacred" recipes are misdirected when applied to family cooking, howver....



+178 (I have many opinions)

Folks, in this thread alone Alfredo Sauce has been made with variations including cheese, wine and garlic on top of the basic cream and butter.  Methinks it is the secret ingredient that makes a meal fantastic... and of course that will be different for everyone!!

I've never thought of the mustard thing though - might try that tomorrow


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## Andy M.

vitauta said:


> i don't understand the objection to adding a favorite seasoning, or several, to one's personal alfredo sauce recipe.  the original alfredo sauce had no cream in it.  when americans liked our alfredo sauce better with cream added, i suppose the case could have been made that it was no longer authentic.  does meatloaf cease being meatloaf when hundreds of different variations (beginning with the meat mixture itself) are created?...





DampCharcoal said:


> ...Try assigning one and only one chili recipe as the only authentic chili recipe and you'll have a civil war on your hands...





DampCharcoal said:


> Well, let me put it this way. Recipes are by and large evolutionary...




I feel like I started this so I'll chime in to explain myself.

Yes, many traditional recipes are evolutionary and come in a variety of styles and types.  Meatloaf and chili certainly fall into that category.  They were created by many people simultaneously over a period of time.

There are also recipes that can be reliably identified as coming from a single source.  Alfredo sauce, Cesar salad and Nachos are three well-known ones.  Guys named Alfredo and Cesar and Ignacio (Nacho) created these recipes relatively recently in food history.

Granted there are variations of all of these from the originals.

If you read back on some of the discussions on this site for Alfredo sauce, you will see a very wide variety of recipes.  Some call for egg, flour, cream cheese, corn starch, milk, as well as a host of flavoring agents such as hot sauces, "baking spices" and more.

If you make a cheese sauce with cheese, butter, flour and milk and serve it over fettuccine, it's not fettuccine Alfredo.  It's pasta with mornay sauce.

Historical perspective is important.  Alfredo sauce should mean the same thing to everyone.  

Some of the add-ins you guys have posted sound good to me and are worth trying.  My original point is that changes eventually change the sauce enough to make it too different to be called the same name.  Certainly there is not a clearly defined line you must not cross.

Just my opinion.  No disrespect intended to anyone here.


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## Rocklobster

vitauta said:


> i don't understand the objection to adding a favorite seasoning, or several, to one's personal alfredo sauce recipe.  the original alfredo sauce had no cream in it.  when americans liked our alfredo sauce better with cream added, i suppose the case could have been made that it was no longer authentic.  does meatloaf cease being meatloaf when hundreds of different variations (beginning with the meat mixture itself) are created?  do we insist on renaming every recipe that most every good cook tweaks in order to give it her own special touch?
> 
> and i don't really care about the nomenclature all that much as it relates to this alfredo sauce question.  i do believe staunch rules imposed on "sacred" recipes are misdirected when applied to family cooking, howver....



That's nice. Now....
NO ALFREDO SAUCE FOR YOU!!


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## DampCharcoal

"Historical perspective is important. Alfredo sauce should mean the same thing to everyone."

That's a good point. There is a fundamental aspect of it that should be preserved.


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## SaucyChefette

So, what's in Alfredo Sauce, then?


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## DampCharcoal

SaucyChefette said:


> So, what's in Alfredo Sauce, then?


 
A basic mornay sauce using parmesan but nowadays I'm not so sure.


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## Andy M.

DampCharcoal said:


> A basic mornay sauce using parmesan but nowadays I'm not so sure.



Sorry, this is not correct.  

Mornay sauce contains flour and milk.  Neither is a part of Alfredo.  Also, the cheese is not usually Parmigiano Reggiano.

The original Alfredo consisted of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano.  The cheese and melted butter were whisked together then the cooked pasta is added to it and tossed.  A little extra pasta water helps make the sauce.

Since that time, widely accepted variation includes heavy cream reduced with the butter before the cheese is added.


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## Greg Who Cooks

taxlady said:


> I call them "cookie spices": nutmeg, cinnamon, dry ginger, cloves, allspice, cardamom, vanilla. DH doesn't get it. I tell him to look with the cookie spices. The only one of those I haven't used in a savoury dish is dry ginger, but I do use fresh ginger with savoury.



I think you could use anything in a savory dish, depending on your judgement. I'm speaking as an amateur chef whose audience is my friends and family.

I don't use dried ginger, I guess because I consider it a cookie spice and I don't generally make cookies. I use tons of fresh ginger in my Asian cooking. Of course Asian cooking also uses cloves, allspice, cardamom...

Just curious, what savory dish would you use vanilla in? I'm intrigued...


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## GB

Gourmet Greg said:


> Just curious, what savory dish would you use vanilla in? I'm intrigued...


I never have done it myself, but I could imagine it being used with duck.


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## Greg Who Cooks

vitauta said:


> i don't understand the objection to adding a favorite seasoning, or several, to one's personal alfredo sauce recipe.  the original alfredo sauce had no cream in it.  when americans liked our alfredo sauce better with cream added, i suppose the case could have been made that it was no longer authentic.  does meatloaf cease being meatloaf when hundreds of different variations (beginning with the meat mixture itself) are created?  do we insist on renaming every recipe that most every good cook tweaks in order to give it her own special touch?
> 
> and i don't really care about the nomenclature all that much as it relates to this alfredo sauce question.  i do believe staunch rules imposed on "sacred" recipes are misdirected when applied to family cooking, howver....



I think it depends on the chef. An amateur cooking for friends and family is free to interpret recipes any way they want and the price for failure is friends and family requesting dining out more often.

I can understand why a renowned famous chef or a teaching chef at a _haute cuisine_ cooking school might be critical of defining exactly what Alfredo sauce is.

As an amateur I can add guinea pig to my Alfredo sauce, and if my guests like it then I guess it's Alfredo! 

I'll accept the advice from the scoffers and I'll try the purest Alfredo sometime soon. I hope it will be okay if I add some shrimp to my pasta. This isn't like carbonara where you get only bacon/prosciutto etc. is it? Is it okay to add shrimp/chicken/etc. to your pasta Alfredo?


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## DampCharcoal

Andy M., you seem to be an intelligent, accomplished cook but I swear I will beat you with a stick of unsalted butter if I ever meet you. 

In a nice way, of course.


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## taxlady

Gourmet Greg said:


> I think you could use anything in a savory dish, depending on your judgement. I'm speaking as an amateur chef whose audience is my friends and family.
> 
> I don't use dried ginger, I guess because I consider it a cookie spice and I don't generally make cookies. I use tons of fresh ginger in my Asian cooking. Of course Asian cooking also uses cloves, allspice, cardamom...
> 
> Just curious, what savory dish would you use vanilla in? I'm intrigued...



I found vanilla in this recipe: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/danish-pork-roulade-with-dried-fruit-69186.html#post951472


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## Andy M.

DampCharcoal said:


> Andy M., you seem to be an intelligent, accomplished cook but I swear I will beat you with a stick of unsalted butter if I ever meet you.
> 
> In a nice way, of course.



I prefer salted butter.  Then all we'll need is some Parmigiano Reggiano and pasta!


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## GB

Andyfredo


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## Greg Who Cooks

PattY1 said:


> No mole'. Chocolate in Food other than desserts  sounds gross to me. I have had Jerk seasoning, it didn't have a  pronounced cinnamon taste.



But have you ever had mole sauce? This is not your sweet chocolate added to some kind of chili dish. It's more like bitter chocolate and it's added in much less amounts than you might expect.

I'm tempted to create a sweet milk chocolate chicken, just to see what it would be like. That's one of the things I like about cooking, that you can think "outside the box" and you might even create something unique.


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## Greg Who Cooks

Andy M. said:


> Mornay sauce contains flour and milk.  Neither is a part of Alfredo.  Also, the cheese is not usually Parmigiano Reggiano.
> 
> The original Alfredo consisted of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano.  The cheese and melted butter were whisked together then the cooked pasta is added to it and tossed.  A little extra pasta water helps make the sauce.
> 
> Since that time, widely accepted variation includes heavy cream reduced with the butter before the cheese is added.



I think it's not unreasonable to consider that your flour from your pasta water combined with the butter constitutes a roux of sorts.


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## GB

Gourmet Greg said:


> I think it's not unreasonable to consider that your flour from your pasta water combined with the butter constitutes a roux of sorts.


The true original used a bit of the cooking water for that purpose. Adding more flour would be different. Again, not necessarily bad tasting or bad in any way, but just not the original.


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## Greg Who Cooks

taxlady said:


> I found vanilla in this recipe: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/danish-pork-roulade-with-dried-fruit-69186.html#post951472



Mmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!! I love your post, and very good pics! You should be a blogger! PW lookout!


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## Greg Who Cooks

GB said:


> The true original used a bit of the cooking water for that purpose. Adding more flour would be different. Again, not necessarily bad tasting or bad in any way, but just not the original.



I was just thinking from the technical aspect of binding the starch from the flour with the oil from the butter. I'm an amateur chef here.


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## DampCharcoal

Andy M. said:


> I prefer salted butter. Then all we'll need is some Parmigiano Reggiano and pasta!


 
LOL! Touche.


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## Andy M.

The little bit of starch in the pasta water hardly equates making a roux with equal parts of flour and fat.


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## Greg Who Cooks

Andy M. said:


> The little bit of starch in the pasta water hardly equates making a roux with equal parts of flour and fat.



So you're saying it's chemically impossible for the starch in the pasta water to combine with the fat in the butter present in the sauce.


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## PrincessFiona60

No, he's saying the ratio of flour to fat is not the same as a roux.


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## vitauta

where is lucas when you need him?  we have an historically-minded italian chef in this forum who could add a definitive stamp to the traditionalist views expressed here....

wait, did i just jump ship?....


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## Andy M.

Gourmet Greg said:


> So you're saying it's chemically impossible for the starch in the pasta water to combine with the fat in the butter present in the sauce.



No, I'm not saying that at all.

What I'm saying, and what I said is, "The little bit of starch in the pasta water hardly equates making a roux with equal parts of flour and fat."

The splash of pasta water added to the cheese and butter helps to homogenize the components of the sauce and give it a creamy texture.


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## PattY1

Gourmet Greg said:


> But have you ever had mole sauce?




No, the thought of it makes my stomach turn.


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## GB

PattY1 said:


> No, the thought of it makes my stomach turn.


Because of the chocolate? There are many different moles and most do not have it. But those that do, the chocolate used tastes nothing like chocolate you would eat on its own. If someone put a piece in your mouth and asked you what it was you would have no idea.


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## TATTRAT

GB said:


> Because of the chocolate? There are many different moles and most do not have it. But those that do, the chocolate used tastes nothing like chocolate you would eat on its own. If someone put a piece in your mouth and asked you what it was you would have no idea.



perhaps best suited to the mole thread, but people fail to realize that there are hundreds of types if mole.

Guacamole, IS a mole.


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## Andy M.

TATTRAT said:


> ...Guacamole, IS a mole...



...a molé made with guaca


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## TATTRAT

Andy M. said:


> ...a molé made with guaca



The word guacamole (avocado sauce) is derived from "guaca" (from “aguacate” or avocado) and the word mole.[22]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)


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## Greg Who Cooks

Gourmet Greg said:


> But have you ever had mole sauce





PattY1 said:


> No, the thought of it makes my stomach turn.


Well Patty I hate to be critical but you as either an amateur or professional chef should be willing to taste new tastes, even if you don't like the idea of them. How else will you know all there is and all there could be?

This idea is pivotal to my concept of what is to be a chef, either as a professional chef or as an amateur chef as I am. You have to be willing to try anything, maybe even everything...

Maybe you should even try adding nutmeg to your Alfredo sauce!


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## CraigC

Eliminate the argument, just say "Alfredo style" Roy Clark always said, you can do something similar, but never exactly the same.


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## Margi Cintrano

*1914 Rome: Fettuccini Alfredo*

Firstly, the original recipe for Fettuccini Alfredo which dates back to 1914, Rome, a very commercial dish for tourists; consists of:

heavy cream
butter
egg yolks
milk
Aged and Freshly Grated Reggiano Parmesano cheese ( 2 types )
salt and pepper 

There are many variations as there are families and chefs who have changed or added or subtracted an ingredient here or there.

Some chefs employ a pinch of nutmeg, some fresh egg fettuccini verses dry pasta ribbons, some people use low fat milk or fat free and cream cheese ... and some use other types of cheeses. This is not Fetticcini Alfredo ... These pastas should be named after their creators. 

A pinch of nutmeg shall give it a distinct flavor. 

I prefer the original and freshly ground black pepper corns and a mixture of Pecorino aged Fiore Sardo and the fresh Reggiano Parmesano and a touch of Gran Padano grated cheese ( also an Italian cheese variety, similar to Parmesano however, spicier. ) 

Thanks for Interesting Post.
Margi.


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## Andy M.

Margi Cintrano said:


> Firstly, the original recipe for Fettuccini Alfredo which dates back to 1914, Rome, a very commercial dish for tourists; consists of:
> 
> heavy cream
> butter
> egg yolks
> milk
> Aged and Freshly Grated Reggiano Parmesano cheese ( 2 types )
> salt and pepper...



I have not seen any source for the original Alfredo recipe that includes egg, cream and milk.  Everywhere I turn, the original recipe is offered as butter, parmigiano reggiano and pasta.


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## vitauta

andy, i'll let you take this one....


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## Addie

We would all like to think we have the original recipe for . . . You fill in the blank. 

We would all like to think we are the only right one when it comes to . . .  You fill in the blank. 

'Nuf said?


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## Steve Kroll

This has been a very entertaining and contentious thread. Imagine that. 

Andy's correct. The _original_ Alfredo recipe, according to Saveur magazine:
The Real Alfredo - Saveur.com

But the beauty of home cooking is that you can make dishes the way YOU like them.


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## DampCharcoal

Great article, Steve! Thanks for sharing. I learned a lot from that.


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## taxlady

I'm going to have to give that a try (the original way) once I'm not doing the low carb thing.


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## vitauta

Steve Kroll said:


> This has been a very entertaining and contentious thread. Imagine that.
> 
> Andy's correct. The _original_ Alfredo recipe, according to Saveur magazine:
> The Real Alfredo - Saveur.com
> 
> But the beauty of home cooking is that you can make dishes the way YOU like them.



excellent article, thank you, steve, for finding and sharing it!  i have emailed out several copies of it to family and friends....


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## Margi Cintrano

*Mistake On My Part: Alfredo Di Lelio - Rome 1914*

To All Those Who Have Posted, 

Firstly, the original recipe for Fettuccini Alfredo which dates back to 1914, Rome, a very commercial dish for tourists; consists of:

6 ounces butter
6 ounces of  24 month old Aged and Freshly Grated Reggiano Parmesano cheese ( 2 types )
salt and pepper 

2ndly, There are many variations as there are families and chefs who have changed or added or subtracted an ingredient here or there.

To move on, some chefs employ a pinch of nutmeg, some fresh egg fettuccini verses dry pasta ribbons, some people use low fat milk or fat free and cream cheese ... and some use other types of cheeses. This is not Fetticcini Alfredo ... These pastas should be named after their creators. A pinch of nutmeg shall give it a distinct flavor. 

Personally, it is not my favourite pasta dish as I am not a butter person; I am a Bolognese Woman ... or a Shellfish Marinara Woman ... red sauces are my more my cup of coffee ... 

However, I do prefer the original recipe and freshly ground black pepper corns and a mixture of Pecorino aged Fiore Sardo and the fresh Reggiano Parmesano and a touch of Gran Padano grated cheese ( also an Italian cheese variety, similar to Parmesano however, spicier. ) 

Here is the common Rome style trattoria changes that have been made; please note that I have never seen this pasta served in Italy except in Rome or in Australia and in North America ... etcetra ...

1 3/4 cup heavy cream 
butter
Reggiano Parmesano aged 
salt
black pepper

Thanks for posting,
Margaux Cintrano. 


Thanks for Interesting Post.
Margi.[/QUOTE]


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## SaucyChefette

So, for lunch today I simply added some cheese (and some salmon and an onion) to the leftover noodles I had in the fridge. (No butter, though, I'm on a diet, so used water for the necessary moisture).

It would NEVER have occurred to me, before reading this thread, to try something so simple.  Awesome stuff.


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## masteraznchefjr

Ran out of salt one day and decided to try soy sauce and miso. It actually tasted quite good!


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## Greg Who Cooks

masteraznchefjr said:


> Ran out of salt one day and decided to try soy sauce and miso. It actually tasted quite good!



In Alfredo? ... The horror... The horror!!!


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## no mayonnaise

I like the addition of fresh minced flat leaf parsley at the end, but my Alfredo usually is just cream, unsalted butter, salt, fresh black pepper ground extra finely, a pinch of fresh ground nutmeg, and fresh grated parmesan/romano sometimes both sometimes one or the other.  I feel like this is the basic Alfredo sauce.
What's most important with Alfredo sauce is to serve it in a warmed bowl IMO, since pretty much anything with cream, butter, and cheese is going to taste good.  The warm bowl will keep it from getting gloppy and coagulated.
Notice the word most often repeated in my post: Fresh.  That's how good Alfredo comes together; fresh ingredients.
I'm not snobby about Alfredo sauce.  It can have any number of ingredients or be re-imagined any which way IMO.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I too would add a pinch of nutmeg and a scatter of chopped fresh parsley. But only if I'm sure the Alfredo police won't bust my joint!


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## Andy M.

Gourmet Greg said:


> I too would add a pinch of nutmeg and a scatter of chopped fresh parsley. But only if I'm sure the Alfredo police won't bust my joint!



I've already alerted the Alfredo Police of your callous disdain for the purity of "The Sauce" and they will be watching you.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I swear on my _Joy of Cooking_ that I have absolutely no cream or parsley in my possession! Nor do I have any Parmesan cheese except grated Parmesan and only a barbarian would use anything other than fresh Parmesan cheese in Alfredo sauce!

(The grated Parmesan is for sprinkling on take out Italian food! Honest!)


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## Addie

Andy M. said:


> I've already alerted the Alfredo Police of your callous disdain for the purity of "The Sauce" and they will be watching you.


 
I am armed with my rolling pin and on my way!


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## Addie

Gourmet Greg said:


> I swear on my _Joy of Cooking_ that I have absolutely no cream or parsley in my possession! Nor do I have any Parmesan cheese except grated Parmesan and only a barbarian would use anything other than fresh Parmesan cheese in Alfredo sauce!
> 
> (The grated Parmesan is for sprinkling on take out Italian food! Honest!)


 
I have a big chunk in my fridge. It cost a whole $4.99 a pound. And yes. It is the real thing. It has the stamp on the rind and I saw him cut it from the wheel. Eat your heart out.


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## Andy M.

Gourmet Greg said:


> I swear on my _Joy of Cooking_ that I have absolutely no cream or parsley in my possession! Nor do I have any Parmesan cheese except grated Parmesan and only a barbarian would use anything other than fresh Parmesan cheese in Alfredo sauce!
> 
> (The grated Parmesan is for sprinkling on take out Italian food! Honest!)



The police have asked me to inform you parmesan cheese in any form is unacceptable!

You must use only authentic Parmigiano Reggiano imported from Italy.  Nothing else will do.


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## Barbara L

PattY1 said:


> I don't hate nutmeg and cinnamon but IMHO they belong in desserts not savory dishes!!


I pretty much agree, with one main exception--Swedish Meatballs. A bit of nutmeg gives them their distinctive flavor.


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## Greg Who Cooks

Addie said:


> I have a big chunk in my fridge. It cost a whole $4.99 a pound. And yes. It is the real thing. It has the stamp on the rind and I saw him cut it from the wheel. Eat your heart out.



My favorite all around eating (and cooking) cheese is Gruyere and I keep some around all the time. I sometimes buy Parmesan depending on what I'm cooking. The slab kind not the already grated kind.


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## Andy M.

Gourmet Greg said:


> My favorite all around eating (and cooking) cheese is Gruyere and I keep some around all the time. I sometimes buy Parmesan depending on what I'm cooking. The slab kind not the already grated kind.



Gruyere is one of my top favorites as well.  Love it on a burger.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I make a pretty mean scalloped potatoes with potatoes, onions, grated Gruyere cheese, fresh parsley and cream, dotted with butter on the top. Of course anybody could put their favorite cheese in that recipe.


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## taxlady

I usually by the grated Parmesan. At $30-40/kg for the slab stuff, a small chunk ain't cheap. The grated Parmesan that we get is really good. We don't notice any difference between it and slab Parm that we grate ourselves.


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## Greg Who Cooks

Your cheese prices seem pretty high. IIRC Parmesan is usually $5.99 or $6.99 per 8 oz. wedge in our supermarkets. My Swiss raw milk aged 120 days Gruyere is $10.99 per lb. at Trader Joe's.

However I guess that US$ 7 per 8 oz. is about CA$ 31 per kg...

There's always Velveeta...


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## jonnyjonny_uk

I came to read this thread because I didn't know what Alfredo sauce was (blush) Ten pages later I have had a very interesting read, learnt a lot and now know the recipe:-

Butter, Cheese, Wine, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Hot sauce, Pasta water, Parsley and......ermmmmm what else was there

Ok ok, I'm joking, I'm sticking with Andy's recipe source


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## taxlady

Gourmet Greg said:


> Your cheese prices seem pretty high. IIRC Parmesan is usually $5.99 or $6.99 per 8 oz. wedge in our supermarkets. My Swiss raw milk aged 120 days Gruyere is $10.99 per lb. at Trader Joe's.
> 
> However I guess that US$ 7 per 8 oz. is about CA$ 31 per kg...
> 
> There's always Velveeta...



How would Velveeta be better than already grated Parmesan? I don't even know how much Velveeta costs here - I don't buy it.

My extra old, raw milk, organic cheddar was something like $5.99 for 250 grams (~$11/lb), so it's not all bad. And that is one fine, prize winning cheese.


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## Andy M.

You pay around $5 to $7 per pound for parmesan.  I pay $14-$18 a pound for Parmigiano Reggiano.  I have never seen the real thing for less than $10/Lb.


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## Greg Who Cooks

taxlady said:


> How would Velveeta be better than already grated Parmesan? I don't even know how much Velveeta costs here - I don't buy it.



It was a joke. I detest Velveeta. I presumed it was the least expensive cheese, or if not I don't know why anybody would buy or eat it, but that's a different topic.

I'm pretty sure the Alfredo police would send a SWAT team after anybody who attempted to make Alfredo with Velveeta. 



Andy M. said:


> You pay around $5 to $7 per pound for parmesan.  I pay $14-$18 a pound for Parmigiano Reggiano.  I have never seen the real thing for less than $10/Lb.



I'm pretty sure its Parmigiano Reggiano I've been buying. But I don't currently have any to verify it.


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## Andy M.

Gourmet Greg said:


> It was a joke. I detest Velveeta. I presumed it was the least expensive cheese, or if not I don't know why anybody would buy or eat it, but that's a different topic.
> 
> I'm pretty sure the Alfredo police would send a SWAT team after anybody who attempted to make Alfredo with Velveeta.
> _*
> Maybe if you called it Fettuccine Velveeto, you could avoid notice.
> 
> 
> *_
> I'm pretty sure its Parmigiano Reggiano I've been buying. But I don't currently have any to verify it.


_*

If that's the case, you are very fortunate.*_


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## Addie

Andy M. said:


> You pay around $5 to $7 per pound for parmesan. I pay $14-$18 a pound for Parmigiano Reggiano. I have never seen the real thing for less than $10/Lb.


 
I only  pay $4.99 lb. for Parmigiano Reggiano. I live in an Italian neighborhood. I can get just about anything I want imported from Italy. And I don't pay top dollar. And if I can't get it here in Eastie, I know for certain I can get it in the North End at Polcari's on Hanover Street. They still sell pasta loose from bins. That store is like they picked it up from Italy and dropped it right in the spot it is in now. There are handmade sausages hanging from the ceiling, rabbits in the window, big wheel of imported cheeses, etc.


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## Greg Who Cooks

Andy M. said:


> _*Maybe if you called it Fettuccine Velveeto, you could avoid notice.*_
> _*
> If that's the case, you are very fortunate.*_



Hey I never said that!  It's sort of funny though. I think I'll take a pass on trying it.

I really dislike Velveeta although I have total respect for people who like it. To each their own.


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