Alfy Red Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add 12 oz linguine and cook uncovered according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Sauté garlic and melt butter

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add cream and reduce

Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and increase heat to medium. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, and let simmer 3–4 minutes to slightly thicken.

Incorporate cheese and season

Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan until smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using. If sauce is too thick, whisk in up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.

Toss with pasta

Add cooked linguine to the skillet and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to make the sauce cling smoothly to the noodles. Keep warm until serving.

Cook aromatics

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 finely diced yellow onion and cook 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Finish and toss

If sauce seems too thick, stir in up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Add drained linguine to the saucepan and toss to coat evenly.

Choose sauce: to make Alfy Red with Alfredo, serve the linguine tossed in the Alfredo sauce. To make Alfy Red with Marinara, serve the linguine tossed in the marinara. You can also do a half-and-half plate (scoop each sauce onto half of the pasta) if desired.

Plate and garnish: Divide pasta among 4 plates, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and about 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to taste, if desired.

Serve immediately while hot.