The Best and Easiest Fettuccine Alfredo

After having a dinner party on Saturday night, the last thing I wanted to do for Sunday night's dinner was make something that required work. Scrounging around in the refrigerator, I came up with this recipe. I swear, this dish was so incredible, you'll make it often.

I didn't have fettuccine in the house, so I used linguini instead. Use what you have in the house and refrigerator.

CHEF'S TIP: Want to cook like a pro? Measure out all your ingredients first before you even start to cook. The French call this mise en place which means you get all your tools ready and the ingredients measured out. If you do this step with every recipe, you'll be amazed at the speed with which you'll produce some wonderful recipes. Having to stop to measure out ingredients in between makes for a long drawn out process which can also ruin what you're cooking because of the lapse in time.


INGREDIENTS:

3 tbls sweet butter
2 tbls all purpose flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
2 cups heavy cream, half and half or fat free cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and Pepper to taste

8 ounces linguini, cooked al dente


Using medium-low heat, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan on the stove. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until completely smooth allowing it to bubble just until it's a golden color to cook the flour.

 Turn off the heat and pour in the cream and whisk until completely combined and smooth. Add the nutmeg and whisk until blended. Turn the heat back on and add the two cheeses, again whisking until melted and combined. Taste the sauce before adding the salt and pepper. Remove from the burner. Test to see if sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Dip the spoon into the sauce, then using your finger, draw a path through the center of the spoon. If the 'path' remains, the sauce is perfect.

Rinse the linguini in hot water, drain well and add to the saucepan, swirling around until every strand of pasta is covered. Top with a sprinkle of parsley and parmesan cheese and serve.

This recipe makes 2 or 3 servings depending on portion size.

 

Most recipes call for 1 1/2 cups of cheese to thicken the sauce, but since I'm calorie conscious, I use less cheese and add the flour to thicken it.

Bon Appetit!