1-First, prepare your ingredients by measuring out the dried fettuccine, unsalted butter, minced shallot, heavy cream, freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and the hot smoked salmon fillet. Don’t forget to bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta, as this sets the foundation for everything.

2-Next, cook the fettuccine in the boiling water until it’s al dente, which means reducing the suggested cooking time by about a minute for the perfect texture. Once done, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the rest, as this water plays a big role in emulsifying the sauce later.

3-While the pasta cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a deep fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallots and sauté them for about 2 minutes until they turn tender, building that flavorful base for the sauce.

4-Then, pour in the heavy cream, bring it to a boil, and quickly reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer for 3 minutes. This step helps thicken the sauce just right. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper until everything blends into a smooth, creamy mixture.

5-Transfer the drained fettuccine and the reserved ½ cup of pasta water to the pan with the sauce.

6-Add the flaked hot smoked salmon to the mix.

7-Return the pan to medium heat and gently toss everything together for 1½ to 2 minutes. This helps the sauce emulsify and coat the pasta evenly, without any pooling.

8-Finally, remove from the stove and serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra parmesan if you like.