Luxurious Smoked Salmon Fettuccini Alfredo: A Gourmet Experience

Elevate Your Pasta Game with Creamy Perfection, Select Parmesan, and the Finest Smoked Salmon

The combination of creamy sauce, savory Parmesan, and smoky salmon, all twirled around a forkful of fettuccini, promises to delight the senses. Paired with a chilled white wine and a side of vibrant greens, it’s the perfect dish for a luxurious dinner at home.

Ingredients Matter

Fettuccini

Fettuccini, with its thick and flat structure, is the ideal canvas for a rich and creamy sauce. Its substantial texture contrasts beautifully with the velvety Alfredo and the smoky, luscious chunks of salmon, ensuring each forkful is a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.

Importance of Good Parmesan Cheese

The key to an unforgettable Alfredo sauce lies in the quality of the Parmesan cheese. Authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged for at least 24 months, imparts a depth of flavor that is nutty, salty, and umami-rich. This complexity cannot be replicated with pre-grated or lower-quality cheeses. Investing in a good block of Parmesan and grating it fresh will elevate your sauce from good to extraordinary.

Choosing Good Smoked Salmon

Look for smoked salmon with a vibrant color, a firm texture, and a smoky, but not overpowering, aroma. Cold-smoked salmon offers a delicate texture that pairs wonderfully with the creamy Alfredo, while hot-smoked salmon provides a flakier texture and a more robust flavor. Don’t have smoked salmon? Grill it! It’s just as tasty.


Serves: 4 – 6

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fettuccini pasta
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
  • 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into bite-size chunks, or larger to layer on pasta
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Let’s begin

  1. Cook fettuccini al dente according to package instructions; drain.
  2. While pasta cooks, prepare the Alfredo sauce in a large skillet.

Creating the Perfect Alfredo Sauce

  1. Start with Quality Ingredients: Use fresh heavy cream, high-quality butter, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  2. Creating the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low, then gently stir in the heavy cream. Warm the mixture, but do not allow it to boil, to avoid curdling. Gradually add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to the cream and garlic mixture, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Combine Sauce with Pasta and Salmon: After the pasta is cooked and drained, toss it in the skillet with your creamy garlic Alfredo sauce, ensuring each strand is beautifully coated. Fold in the smoked salmon chunks gently to maintain their integrity, or as an alternate, top pasta with salmon.
  4. Garnish and Serve: Dish out the creamy, garlic-infused fettuccini Alfredo topped with additional grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a touch of color and freshness.

Assembly

  • Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the Alfredo sauce, tossing to coat.
  • Gently fold in the smoked salmon chunks.
  • Serve immediately, garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Wine Pairing Recommendations

A chilled, crisp white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay, complements the richness of the Alfredo and the smokiness of the salmon beautifully. The wine’s acidity and fruitiness will cut through the creaminess of the sauce, providing a refreshing balance.


Pairing salmon with Pinot Noir may seem unconventional to some, given the traditional rule of white wine with fish. However, the delicate, nuanced flavors of Pinot Noir can complement the rich, smoky notes of salmon beautifully, creating a harmonious balance between the dish and the drink. This pairing becomes even more intriguing with a dish like Smoked Salmon Fettuccini Alfredo, where the creamy, savory elements of the sauce meld with the smokiness of the salmon. The light tannins and berry notes of Pinot Noir cut through the richness of the Alfredo sauce, while its subtle earthiness enhances the smoky flavor of the salmon. This combination proves that breaking the mold and experimenting with flavors can lead to delightful culinary discoveries, making Smoked Salmon Fettuccini Alfredo served with a glass of Pinot Noir an exquisite experience that tantalizes the palate with a spectrum of textures and tastes.



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