fettucine alfredo

Some dishes are inherently decadent. There's no real way to make things lighter through substitutes, nor would you really want to. To make things healthier would be to ruin things. For me, fettucine alfredo is one of those dishes. Mounds of delicious, carb-tastic pasts (bonus points if it's fresh), swimming in that delicious, rich sauce. Copious doses of heavy cream, real butter and loads of fresh parmesan melted into each other. It's heaven on a fork.

I made this for the first time in a grade ten cooking class, and was delighted by my new found skills. I may have eaten this for about four weeks straight after I learned how to make it. I ate heaps of fettucine in alfredo sauce. Since then, I've come to realize that heavy pastas are not necessarily the best choice for everyday eating. Every once in awhile, though, the idea plants itself in my mind and there is no escaping it.

There are more traditional recipes than mine out there. The most traditional exclude the cream entirely. And add the parmesan at the end. That's not my recipe, though. I use the amounts as guidelines. If I want a thicker sauce, I reduce the cream. I just have fun with this, because it's pure indulgence.

I craved this for weeks before giving in and making this. Why? I'm not sure.


Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 box of pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Once melted, add the cream.
3. Mix that all together, until it's fairly even. You'll still have whiter and yellower spots, but that's ok.
4. Place your pasta in a large mixing or serving bowl, sprinkle the cheese over it.
5. Pour the cream and butter mixture on top of that.
6. Using tongs, serving forks or whatever utensil you like, toss everything around.
7. Serve. Eat.
8. It's really that simple, I promise.