Creamy & Flavorful Pasta: An Easy Homemade Recipe
Creamy & Flavorful Pasta: An Easy Homemade Recipe
[Cream Sauce Pasta] A Simple Home-Cooking Recipe Made with Milk and Cheese
Enjoy delicious cream pasta where the rich sauce perfectly coats the noodles, right in your own kitchen! It offers a unique charm distinct from Carbonara or Alfredo pasta, with the delightful harmony of creamy milk and rich cheese. Mastering this basic recipe is a great stepping stone to create your own variations by adding different ingredients. While the ingredient list might seem extensive at first, feel free to adjust it to your preference – you can omit items without compromising the delicious outcome.
Main Ingredients- Fettuccine pasta 80-100g
- 1 strip thick-cut bacon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 300ml fresh milk
- 1-2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (adjust to taste)
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp butter (or 2 pieces)
- Pinch of fine salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 chicken stock cube (dissolved in 200ml water)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing the foundational ingredients for your dish. Mince the garlic finely. Slice the bacon into approximately 1cm thick pieces. Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms, about 0.5cm thick, so they blend well with the sauce.
Step 2
Place one piece of butter in a pan over medium heat and let it melt. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and sauté over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic; the goal is to release its gentle aroma.
Step 3
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the prepared bacon, sliced onions, and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté everything together until the bacon is slightly browned and the onions and mushrooms become translucent. This process builds depth of flavor.
Step 4
When the vegetables and bacon are nicely sautéed to a light golden brown, sprinkle in the flour (1 tbsp) and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Cooking the flour helps to thicken the sauce smoothly, preventing lumps. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
Step 5
Now, let’s create the base for our creamy sauce. Pour in 200ml of the 300ml milk. Whisk it into the flour mixture, stirring constantly over low heat as it thickens. Gentle simmering helps achieve the desired consistency.
Step 6
Add the dissolved chicken stock (1 cube in 200ml water) to the pan and mix well. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. It’s best to taste and adjust the seasoning as you go.
Step 7
Pour in the remaining 100ml of milk to make the cream sauce even smoother and richer. Continue stirring until the sauce comes to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
Step 8
Finally, stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to add a final layer of rich flavor. The cheese will melt into the sauce, making it wonderfully savory and complex.
Step 9
In a separate pot, bring a generous amount of water to a boil with salt. Cook the fettuccine pasta until it’s al dente – about 1 minute less than the package instructions suggest. (Reserve some pasta water; it can be useful for adjusting sauce consistency). Drain the pasta lightly and add it directly to the prepared cream sauce. Toss gently to ensure the pasta is well-coated.
Step 10
To finish, add the remaining piece of butter and the 2 slices of cheddar cheese to the pan. Stir until the cheese is completely melted, giving the pasta a glossy finish. Your rich and creamy pasta is now complete! Serve immediately while warm and enjoy your delicious homemade meal.
