Traveling to Europe, many moons ago, taught me about the simplicity that we as Americans don't know about Italy. Not everything has to be covered in sweet tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese! This type of dish illustrates exactly what you would enjoy sitting in a quaint restaurant in Rome enjoying a glass of wine. I wrote this dish as a truly 30 minute meal for a busy weeknight dinner that you can shop for early in week because the ingredients will stay fresh for days in the refrigerator. Touche, to my friends who are yelling at their screens noting that there are no vegetables included in this one (it's a rarity for me these days). To lighten things up, Hubby to Be and I trimmed salad greens from the garden outside and seasoned them with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar for a light side dish.
Recipe of the Day: Authentic Fusilli with Alfredo Sauce
1/2 lb fusilli noodles (the long curly ones with a hole through the middle)
2 large handfuls from a small container of shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp half and half
1/2 stick butter
fresh ground pepper
1/2 c leftover pasta cooking water
Boil the noodles for the time indicated on the bag. Prior to draining the noodles, reserve 1/2-1 cup cooking water. Return the noodles to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot immediately, tossing with tongs (don't mix it with a spoon, you don't want the noodles to break down) until well combined. Serve hot with a green salad to balance the meal. Feel free to add more or less of each of the ingredients to achieve the consistency you're looking for.
