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Fusilli Alfredo

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"A few years ago, my younger sister, Erica, and her husband, Guillaume, won a once-in-a-lifetime luxury vacation to Japan. I don't know what I was thinking, especially since I hadn't changed a diaper in years, but I offered to take care of my one- and two-year-old nephews so they could go (#sisteroftheyear). Boy oh boy, did those little guys give me a run for my money. When they refused to drink their bottles, I got desperate and gave them apple juice, which they had never tasted. Leo, the baby, guzzled it down with a wide two-toothed grin, and Max, the big brother, exclaimed, 'I yike it!' Much as the boys liked the apple juice, they didn't like my cooking—until I whipped up this dish, which I told them was 'Aunt Jenn's Special Pasta.' Think of it as a shortcut mac 'n' cheese: no roux or white sauce but generous amounts of butter, cream, and cheese. It got lots of 'yikes' too."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound fusilli pasta (macaroni, farfalle, spirals, or anything you have on hand may be substituted)
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
â—¦ ½ cup grated fontina cheese (Gruyère, Cheddar, or any other good melting cheese may be substituted)
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until al dente, about 10 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

In the same pot (no need to rinse it), melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the drained pasta, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, the cheeses, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat evenly, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened.

Add more of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry; taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve.

Serves 4 to 6