Fettuccine Alfredo

Yeah, yeah, heart attack on a plate. But hey, a little goes a long way. And it's easy. And really good.

Since there are only about 4 ingredients here, use the best you can find. And serve some plain steamed vegetables or a big green salad on the side to assuage your conscience. And a nice white wine to cut through the cream :-)

This recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking. I cut down the butter and cream just a bit.

Fettuccine Alfredo

1-1/4 lb fresh or 1 lb. dried fettuccine

6 T. (3 oz.) butter

3/4 c. heavy cream (I used crème fraîche)

1 cup (about 3 oz.) grated Parmesan

Salt, pepper, and perhaps some freshly grated nutmeg

Cook the pasta according to package directions in well-salted water. While it's cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet. When the pasta is done, scoop it out into the pan with the butter and stir it around. Add the cream and Parmesan and salt, pepper (I like a lot), and nutmeg if you want. Taste before you season--if you salted the pasta water enough, you probably won't need much salt. Serve quickly with something green and healthy on the side.