Recipe for Spaghetti Alfredo with parsley & cayenne

Spaghetti Alfredo with parsley and cayenne

A simple and creamy pasta dish with plenty of flavour from garlic, parmesan, parsley and cayenne. Perfect for a quick dinner when you want something easy without compromising on the result.

There is something special about a good pasta dish that can be made quickly and still feels like proper comfort food. Spaghetti Alfredo with parsley and cayenne is just that kind of dish – simple in its composition, yet rich, creamy and full of flavour from garlic, parmesan and a lightly spiced lift from cayenne pepper.

It is a recipe that is perfect for busy weekdays as well as evenings when you simply fancy something warm, creamy and satisfying. Fresh parsley and a touch of lemon balance the dish, while parmesan and pasta water bring everything together in a silky-smooth sauce.

To make preparation extra easy, both a spacious sauté pan and a large sauté pot are ideal for tossing the pasta with sauce and spices, so the flavours are distributed evenly throughout the dish. When serving the pasta, a pasta spoon makes it easy to lift and plate spaghetti straight from the pan or pot.

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30 g butter
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your preferred heat level)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 100-125 g finely grated parmesan
• freshly ground pepper
• 1-2 dl pasta water

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot with plenty of salted water until al dente. Reserve 1-2 dl of the cooking water before draining the pasta.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
3. Add the cayenne pepper and salt to the pan and stir for about 30 seconds, so the spices toast lightly and release their flavour.
4. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss well to coat the pasta in oil and butter. Add a little of the cooking water to make the pasta glossy and moist.
5. Turn down the heat. Add the parmesan a little at a time while tossing the pasta. At the same time, pour in a little more pasta water until a creamy, cohesive sauce forms.
6. Add the chopped parsley and lemon juice. Toss everything well to distribute the parsley evenly through the hot pasta.
7. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and extra cayenne pepper if you would like a spicier flavour. Serve immediately.
8. Optionally sprinkle with extra parmesan and a little extra parsley to garnish.

Serving

Spaghetti Alfredo with parsley and cayenne tastes best served straight away, while the pasta is still hot and creamy. It works perfectly as a quick dinner on its own, but can also be served as an accompaniment to chicken or grilled vegetables.

It is a dish that shows how much you can achieve with a few ingredients and simple preparation. The flavour is rich, lightly spiced and rounded off with fresh herbs – a lovely pasta dish that can quickly become an everyday favourite.