How to Stretch Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo is a commonly used alternative to tomato-based sauces.

Thick, rich, white and creamy -- Alfredo sauce is commonly used to cover pasta in dishes all across Italy. Not just for Italians anymore, however, Alfredo sauce now graces tables in the United States as well. Typically made with heavy whipping cream, butter, Parmesan cheese and an egg yolk and and seasoned with pepper and a hint nutmeg, Alfredo sauce is incredibly versatile. If you find yourself short on sauce the next time you prepare to make your favorite Alfredo dish,you can stretch your sauce in several ways.

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
• Heavy whipping cream
• Parmesan cheese
• Egg yolk
• Small mixing bowl
• Fork
• Ladle or metal measuring spoon
• Cooking thermometer
• Black or white pepper
• Butter
• Milk

Instructions

1. Heat existing Alfredo sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir with a wooden spoon.

2. Add a touch of heavy whipping cream and stir well while still on heat. Don't worry if your sauce seems a bit thin at this point. Use milk in place of cream when you have none on hand.

3. Add extra grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and stir well while still on heat. The additional cheese will restore the thickness to your sauce that was lost when adding cream. In the absence of Parmesan, use Romano, mozzarella or cream cheese in its place.

4. Add an additional egg yolk to thicken your sauce, if necessary. Beat your egg yolk with a fork in a small mixing bowl, and then temper it to prevent the egg from cooking when you add it to your sauce. Temper the egg by slowly adding up to one cup of your hot Alfredo sauce to the egg yolk with a ladle or metal measuring cup. Stir well. Gently pour the egg and sauce mixture into your saucepan and continue stirring. Use a cooking thermometer to ensure that the temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of three seconds.

5. Add additional white or black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg to retain the original flavor of the sauce. Add a pinch of garlic as well for extra flavor when stretching sauce. Stir well to distribute flavors.

6. Add additional butter if your sauce becomes too thick from the adding the ingredients above, or thin with a bit of milk or cream. Stir well until blended and remove from heat.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your best judgment when it comes to amounts, as they will vary depending on how much sauce you have on hand. Add a little of each ingredient at a time, and taste frequently to ensure that you've not altered the flavor significantly.

• Avoid turning your heat too high and scorching your sauce on the bottom of the pan.

References

• Food Network; Fettucine Alfredo; Emeril Lagasse; 2004
• Food Network; Penne Parmesan Alfredo; Robert Irvine; 2007
• Better Homes and Gardens: Tempering Eggs