1.5.11

Don't be intimidated!

I love good fettucini.  However, I love good AMERICAN style fettucini better than Italian style fettucini.  The difference?  The amount of garlic and how much sauce is used.  The Italians don't use much of either one.  Being American, we have to overdose on everything. Here's my tweaked out version of
Chicken Fettucini Alfredo
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts (boiled, baked or grilled), cubed
2 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced*
6 tbs cream cheese
1 c heavy cream
Fettucini noodles
1/2 c fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
In a large saucepan, boil fettucini noodles as directed on package.  Cook to al dente.*  Remove and drain,  Rinse with cold water.* 
In a smaller sauce pan, place butter and minced garlic.  Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add 2/3 cup of the cream and cream cheese.  Keep remaining amount for later.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute until slightly thickened.  Add nutmeg.  Stir continuously to avoiding scorching.  Add chicken and heat for 5 minutes.
At this point, you can serve the noodles and sauce separately or toss them together.  I toss them together and add the remaining 1/3 cup cream.  It helps keep it more moist for left-overs.
*You can mince garlic with a garlic mincing tool or you can peel the skins off and diced it finely with a knife.  I use my P Chef mincer.  Best one on the market.
* Al dente is a term meaning "firm to the tooth."  Americans usually over cook our pasta, making it soggy.  Al dente is cooking it just a little less time so it is more firm, not hard, not soggy.  Somewhere in the middle.  It is also better for digestion and blood sugar levels.
* Carbohydrates react to temperature change.  Heat makes them soft and slimy.  Cold makes them firm up.  When you cook pasta, starch (which is another name for a complex carb) is... extracted?  I guess that's the best word, from pasta and if you don't rinse it in cold water, your noodles will stick together as they cool and become a gigantic ball of pasta.

Hope you like this one!

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