Hello Vino Blog

Supposedly, Fettuccine Alfredo is said to have been invented in Rome in 1914 by the restaurateur Alfredo di Lelio. Originally, Alfredo sauce is thickened only by cheese, but the variations we can get in U.S. grocery stores may be thickened with starch. I say thank you Alfredo di Lelio…I’ll be enjoying the thick coated pasta with some spicy shrimp this weekend!

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb fettuccine
• 1 lb shrimp
• 6 tbsp butter (divided)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 16 oz spinach (frozen chopped, thawed and drained)
• Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper (fresh ground pepper approximately)

Directions

• Heat the water for the pasta.
• Rinse, peel, and devein your shrimp.
• Sprinkle the shrimp with Cajun seasoning and set aside.
• In a small bowl stir together the flour and grated parmesan.
• Add your pasta to the boiling water.
• Heat 4TBSP of butter in one skillet over medium heat, add four cloves of minced garlic and sautee for a minute.
• Add drained spinach and stir often until heated through.
• While the spinach is heating, melt 2TBSP butter in a second skillet over medium to medium high heat. Watch this pan carefully - you do not want to burn the butter.
• Stir 1 1/2 cups half and half into the spinach.
• Slowly sprinkle in the parmesan/flour combination stirring well.
• Reduce heat to low, season with pepper and stir occasionally.
• Add shrimp to the butter in the second skillet, reduce heat to medium and stir. The shrimp will cook quickly and it is important to remove them from the heat as soon as they are pink and the flesh is no longer translucent. If the shrimp is overcooked it will become rubbery.
• Drain the pasta.
• To give your plates a professional look, scoop a serving of fettuccini into the center of the plate and with tongs,give the whole bunch a twist. This brings the noodles into a nice pile.
• Scoop a ladleful of sauce over the noodles and arrange the shrimp on top.

Two Wine Recommendations

A ripe and crisp wine with fruit flavors such as apple, pear, and citrus…
Wine: Chardonnay

In honor of Italy - A dry & bitter white wine with delicate grapes…
Wine: Orvieto

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

The Hello Vino Team