Alfredo Sauce

By rrxing

It's hard to believe that just three ingredients, plus salt and pepper, can result in such a wonderful sauce. This recipe makes enough sauce to serve with 8 ounces of pasta (four main-dish servings).

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling over the final dish, if desired.

Preparation

Step 1

Thicken the Cream
In a 3-quart saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Make sure the butter does not brown -- one of the hallmarks of this sauce is its creamy white color.
Carefully pour the cream into the saucepan with the melted butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the butter-cream mixture to boiling; reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the sauce gently until it begins to thicken, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. This will take 3 to 5 minutes.
pan is off the heat, as high heat can cause cheese to clump or become stringy rather than melt smoothly.
Continue stirring until the cheese is incorporated into the sauce. Your sauce is now ready to toss with pasta or use as desired.
Toss with Pasta

To serve with pasta, toss the sauce with 8 ounces of hot cooked, drained pasta (fettuccine is traditional and holds the sauce nicely with its long strands, but just about any pasta will work except miniature shapes). Transfer the sauced pasta to a warm