Overview
Warning – this is not a genuine Alfredo. I made it up, but used the classic Alfredo technique.

This recipe is for the basic version, but it’s delicious with added bits – try small pieces of salami, bacon, prosciutto, caramelised onions, sun or oven-dried tomatoes, spring onion…

Time
Comes together quickly, in the time it takes to cook a pot of pasta.

Ingredients
Pasta for 4 – I’ve used tubular spaghetti here, but penne would be a better choice
1 onion, finely sliced into pieces approximately 1cm long
200 ml onion paste
2 TB cognac
½ ts thyme (or 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme)
Any other additions desired (salami, bacon, prosciutto, caramelised onions)

3 egg yolks
120g grated pecarino romano cheese
¼ cup cream

½ cup pasta water
cracked pepper, extra grated pecorino romano cheese and spring onion to serve

Method
1 – Bring plenty of salted water to the boil in a pot larger than you need

2 – Caramelise the onion in the other, slightly smaller pot. Add bacon now if you’re using it.

2 – Add pasta to the boiling water once the onions have begun to brown

3 – While pasta is cooking, add onion paste, thyme and cognac to the caramelised onion

4 – While the onions are warming, whisk the yolks, cheese and cream together in a bowl

5 – When the pasta is almost done, transfer it to the pot with the onion, cognac and thyme. Add any extras such as meat at this stage. Mix well over a gentle heat.

6 – Add the ½ cup of pasta water to the egg mixture slowly, while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from cooking

7 – Pour the egg mixture into the pasta, mixing thoroughly over the same gentle heat until the pasta is warmed again and the cheese has melted.

8 – Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese, spring onion or tomatoes.