Goldie Hawn’s Favorite Creamy Pasta Dish Is Comfort in a Bowl

Goldie Hawn is certainly a household name, known for her acting career, which has spanned decades. The Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress has also focused on social activism, using her platform to create the Hawn Foundation, which has a mission of helping children gain tools to cope with stress and mental health. She has even delved into the world of cooking, joining chef Jamie Oliver in the kitchen. 

In an episode of Jamie & Jimmy’s Food Fight Club, the star revealed her favorite pasta dish: fettuccine Alfredo. She referenced a restaurant in New York where the dish is her go-to order. To her surprise, Oliver had obtained the chef’s recipe and challenged Hawn to prepare it herself, homemade pasta and all. 

The pair started off by prepping the pasta dough, with Oliver demonstrating each step for Hawn before she attempted to make her own batch. Though Hawn narrowly avoided a misstep or two—at one point separating her yolks and whites only to accidentally recombine them—she was absolutely full of laughs, taking the error in stride and drawing a chuckle from the crowd. 

Once the pasta was completed, they prepared a “simple but elegant” Alfredo sauce to tie everything together. With a base of Parmesan cheese, cream and egg yolk, the sauce was a silky and rich addition to the freshly made pasta. 

Oliver added the pasta to the sauce directly from the boiling water, prompting Hawn to question why the pasta water should be added. Here, he gave a helpful tip: “It’s the starchy water … that emulsifies that sauce. Can you see how this cream sauce now is clinging to the pasta?” The starch in pasta water can sometimes be the perfect finishing touch for a pasta sauce.

The final result was a decadent and creamy Alfredo pasta, which is a classic and comforting dish for a reason. Hawn was delighted by the entire cooking process, even more so when Oliver added truffle as a finishing touch. Although she was quite shocked when he then expected her to prepare a whopping 25 portions for the guests in the restaurant!

If you’re looking to try your own version of fettuccine Alfredo, we have several easy recipes that are sure to be just as delicious. This one-pot version will keep dishes to a minimum, so it’s perfect for busy evenings. Or give your pasta a boost of protein by adding shrimp or chicken. And if you’re feeling ambitious, you can even try making homemade pasta yourself using some of these helpful tools.