Fettuccine Pescara

A personal favorite of mine, this recipe was named after the Italian region Pescara. Created for a cooking class in Minnesota while working for the Marsh in Minnetonka. I wanted to create a pasta that was bold, featuring classic flavors of Italy, specifically southern Italy. The resulting recipe is very flavorful and also very healthy containing no cream or butter.


16 oz. Fettuccine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
14 skinned and seeded fresh Roma tomatoes chopped
1 cup canned roasted red bell peppers chopped
1/2 cup pitted and chopped calamata olives
3 cups tomato puree
1/2 cup red wine
3 tablespoons fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan cheese (garnish)
adjust thickness of sauce with water as desired


Bring water to a boil in a stock pot, add roma tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes and place in a bowl of cold ice water to stop the cooking. While the tomatoes are cooling, cook the fettuccine. Place the pasta in boiling water and cook for approximately 7 minutes stirring frequently. Place the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to again stop the cooking. Place the cooled pasta in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, reserve.

Peel and seed the roma tomatoes and chop in medium size pieces (1/2 inch dice). Heat sauté pan and add the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Sauté the garlic to a golden brown, adding the roma tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, olives, tomato puree and red wine and cook for 20 minutes on a medium low setting. Add the fresh basil and season to taste. Adjust the thickness of the sauce with water if needed. Toss the fettuccine with the pasta sauce and cook for another 2 minutes or until the pasta is heated through. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 - 5
Recipe by Brian Johnson

Fettuccine with Light Alfredo Sauce

Serves 4

1 pound Fettucine, Linguine or Spaghetti, uncooked
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. green onions, sliced (white parts only)
White pepper to taste



Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large saucepan, bring the evaporated milk to a simmer over moderate heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, green onions and parsley. As soon as it has melted, and the sauce is thick and creamy, pour over cooked pasta. Season to taste with white pepper.



Each Serving Provides:
917 Calories
37.9 g Protein
171 g Carbohydrates
7.7 g Fat
12.1 mg Cholesterol
320 mg Sodium
Calories from Fat 8%

Alfredo-style Sauce with Fettuccine (Low-Fat)

The Authors say: "Yes, it's possible to reduce the fat content of fettuccine Alfredo by using 1-percent fat milk, nonfat sour cream and nonfat Parmesan cheese topping." --Ruth Glick and Nancy Baggett

Ingredients
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon butter or non-diet canola or safflower oil margarine
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2-3/4 cups 1 percent fat milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese preferably freshly grated (3 ounces)
1/2 cup grated nonfat Parmesan cheese topping (2 ounces)
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped chives or thin-sliced scallion tops plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Salt, to taste (optional)
10 to 12 ounces non-egg fettuccine noodles cooked according to package


Instructions
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, combine onions, garlic, wine and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes or until onions are tender. If liquid begins to evaporate, add a bit of water.

In a cup, combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk; stir to mix well. Stir remaining 2-1/2 cups milk into skillet. Bring liquid in pan to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in cornstarch mixture, stirring until mixture thickens. Boil 1 minute, stirring. Reduce heat so that sauce does not boil.

Stir in Parmesan cheeses. Stir in sour cream, mixing well and whisking if necessary to smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup chives, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper, and stir well. Add salt, if using. Cook over very low heat an additional 2 to 3 minutes until flavors are well blended. Arrange fettuccine on a serving platter. Top with sauce. Or serve individual portions of sauce over pasta. Garnish with additional chives, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings.

Per serving: 537 calories, 29 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 77 grams carbohydrates, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 596 milligrams sodium, 20 percent calories from fat.