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Fettuccine Alfredo

I love Italian Cuisine. It is nice and simple yet elegant. Most of the recipes have 5-10 ingredients, that's why it is gaining popularity worldwide. The most popular Italian Food is pasta. Pasta comes in various length, width and shapes. Each pasta has a different name depending on it's shape and size.
So today's recipe is Fettuccine Alfredo. Fettuccine is a flat thick noodle shaped pasta. It is cooked in rich and creamy Alfredo Sauce. Usually made with heavy cream, I use half and half instead to cut the calories.

Ingredients
8 oz Fettuccine 
1 garlic clove crushed
3 tbsp butter
1 pint half and half
3 tbsp Cream Cheese
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup chopped spinach
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Sun-dried tomato pesto(recipe follows)
Couple of pinches of nutmeg powder

For Sun-dried tomato and basil pesto
1/4 Cup Sun-dried tomatoes(I like to buy tomatoes packed in olive oil)
1/4 Cup Kalamata Olives(Green olives are fine too)
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
1/2 Clove Garlic crushed
2-3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method 
In a blender/food processor add all the ingredients for pesto except olive oil. Add olive oil in steady stream and start blending until nicely blended. Keep aside.
Start by melting butter in a pan, add crushed garlic. Add cream cheese and let it melt, once melted add half and half. Let it simmer for 10 min to thicken. Meanwhile boil fettuccine in lots of water. Once cooked drain and keep aside. In another pan heat 1 tsp olive oil and saute spinach for few seconds, we don't want it completely wilted. Once the sauce thickens add Parmesan Cheese, followed by 2 tbsp of pesto and mix. Add sauteed spinach and nutmeg powder. Add fettuccine and mix again. Enjoy your nice pasta dinner.


Quick Tips-:
 If you think your Alfredo sauce is not thickening add little bit of more cream cheese. Try using fat free or less fat cream cheese to avoid high calorie intake.
If possible buy Parmesan Cheese block instead of already grated cheese that comes in a jar.

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