Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of life's greatest comfort foods. It's creamy, cheesy, carb-y, and super super flavorful. I especially love this version because the shrimp not only adds extra flavor, but some lean protein to boot. When making this pasta dinner, avoid this common mistakes to truly make it the best it can be:

Overcooking the pasta:
Nothing is worse than a bowl of mushy pasta. We're going for al dente in this recipe—as in, it should still have some bite. This can be especially tricky when you're adding cooked pasta back to a hot pan because it will continue to cook. I recommend tasting your pasta for doneness a 3 to 4 minutes before the box recommends. There should still be a bit of firmness in the center of your fettuccine. That means, given a little extra cooking time in the sauce, it'll come out perfectly.

Overcooking the shrimp:
Never underestimate how fast shrimp can cook. Depending on their size and the heat of your pan they could cook in literally one minute, so keep an eye on them! As soon as they turn from gray and translucent to pink and opaque, they're good to go! Set them aside on a plate and continue with the sauce. Just don't ditch anything they've left behind in the pan! Those juices will add so much flavor to your final sauce. Using shell-on shrimp would provide even more flavor, but I don't love to use my hands while eating pasta. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, feel free to leave the shells on!

Curdling the sauce:
One of the secrets to making an extra creamy Alfredo sauce is the addition of an egg yolk. In order to incorporate that yolk without cooking it, you need to make the sauce in a specific order. After you've added your flour, add your cold milk and cream first, so that when you drop your yolk in, it won't start cooking immediately. When you do drop your yolk in, whisk it into the sauce immediately to avoid clumping. If it still sounds risky to you, you can whisk together your heavy cream, milk, and yolk in a separate bowl and pour it into your pan as a homogenous mixture.

Using pre-grated Parm:
This creamy sauce is totally dependent on the cheese. Most of the pre-grated parmesan cheeses sold at the grocery store are mixed with preservatives in order to prevent caking, and to keep the cheese dry. Unfortunately, this can lead to a less than favorable texture, and can make it more difficult for the cheese to melt. If you can, splurge for a real piece of Parmigiano Reggiano (or another hard cheese like Locatelli or Pecorino Romano). It'll make your Alfredo sauce a bit more smooth and creamy. 

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!