I’m not altogether sure if this dish is really my invention or not; it’s a gloss on Fettuccine Alfredo. It’s a lightly-sauced spaghetti with a spicy variant on an Alfredo sauce; typically I make it with a very small amount of either shrimp, ham, or chicken. It can be served vegetarian as well. The sauce is simple (provided you’re using store-bought Alfredo sauce) and takes only about five minutes.
Here’s what you need:
1-2 servings of spaghetti (other pastas ad libitum, but I like plain spaghetti)
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
olive oil
half a lemon, seeded with the flesh lightly chopped
fresh Italian parsely, chopped, enough to make about 1/3 of a cup
about 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (more ad libitum)
about 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce (I use Buitoni)
freshly-grated parmesan
optional: either 3-4 shrimp, or 1/4 cup of finely-diced ham, or the same amount of chicken
The sauce will take about five minutes, so time it to the pasta. Spaghetti takes 10 minutes from the water returning to the boil, so start the sauce halfway through the cooking time.
- In a sauté pan or skillet heat 3-4 tablespoons of good olive oil.
- Toss in the meat (skip this step if you’re going vegetarian) and cook it through. Probably about 1 minute.
- Toss in the garlic clove and the chili pepper flakes; give them about 20-30 seconds maximum, just enough to blossom but not enough for the garlic to toast.
- Toss in the Italian parsely and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for about 15 seconds.
- Pour on the Alfredo sauce; add the chopped lemon. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat it through and then turn off the heat — the sauce separates easily!
- The pasta should be cooked by now; drain it and mix it with the sauce in the skillet. It will be only a light coating of sauce, not the usual puddle. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.