you're making mealtime meaningful.
Pasta is one of the best meals to make when you don’t have much time or don’t know what to make. I can’t count the number of times that pasta saved the day and just when I think I’ve had every pasta recipe out there I find a new one to try.
Fettuccine Romano is a simple dish that somehow manages to taste like you’ve been standing over a hot stove for hours, but it takes then less than 30 minutes to make. Serve with a salad or some garlic bread and you’ve got a wonderful meal that will please anyone who loves Italian food.
After trying this recipe I was reminded just how much I enjoy fettuccine even though I don’t usually buy it at the store. The flat noodles have a lot of surface area for sauce to stick to, making them perfect for this hearty sauce.
To begin this recipe make your fettuccine to package directions and drain the noodles, reserving half a cup of the pasta water for the sauce. This is a trick straight from Italy. The starches released into the water while the pasta is cooking help bind the sauce together. And, doing this also adds some flavor to the sauce as well.
In a large skillet sauté the garlic in butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
Then caramelize the onions on medium heat (about 10 minutes) then add in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
After turning the burner back to medium-high cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring often. Remove from heat and then add the pasta to the sauce, as well as the sour cream and the grated Romano cheese. Garnish with a final sprinkling of Romano before serving and you’re done.
This is one dinner that comes together quickly, but tastes like it took all day to make. The sour cream and Romano cheese add a layer of creaminess to this dish that brings the flavors together.
For a different take on this dish you could add capers, anchovies, fresh herbs or whatever you might enjoy in a pasta sauce. But, the nice thing about this recipe is that if you don’t have any extra fixins on hand you can still make this wonderful pasta dinner without any fuss.
Fettuccine Romano
Yield(s): Serves 4
15m prep time
20m cook time
Allergens: Milk
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine noodles
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
- Prepare pasta to package instructions, reserving half cup of the pasta water when draining. While the pasta is cooking sauté garlic in butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce skillet to medium heat and add onions. Cook until beginning to caramelize- about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook until sauce thickens, stirring often. Remove from heat and add pasta to skillet. Pour in sour cream and top with Romano cheese. Toss to combine. Add a dusting of parmesan cheese to each serving.
Recipe adapted from Food 52.