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penne pasta coated in a smooth pale roasted-garlic Parmesan Alfredo sauce with fine pepper speckles in a plain bowl, with no whole garlic or garnish
Melissa Hart

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Alfredo

Roast the garlic until its cloves squeeze easily from their skins, then mash them smooth before adding the cream so the penne doesn't hide large soft lumps inside its tubes. The long roast gives the sauce a mellow flavor that differs from quickly warmed minced garlic, and finely grated Parmesan stirred in off the heat finishes it smoothly with just enough pasta water to keep the coating loose.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole garlic head
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 8 oz dry penne
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup freshly finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for sauce
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top 1/4 inch from the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft. Cool enough to handle, squeeze out the cloves and mash smooth.
  2. Near the end of roasting, cook penne in water with the tablespoon salt until 1 minute short of the package time. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat and stir in mashed garlic. Add cream, milk, sauce salt and pepper and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
  4. Add pasta and 1/4 cup reserved water and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan gradually.
  5. Add more pasta water by the tablespoon if needed for a smooth coating and serve promptly.