Creamy YET Light: Fettucine with Creamy Garlic and Lemon Sauce with Basil and Parm

If told you you can have a creamy pasta and yet it can still be light and refreshing you probably wouldn't believe me. I mean you'd still want it duh...BUT you probably wouldn't believe. Well....what if I ALSO told you that you can knock out this highly improbably meal in about 15 minutes. At this point you're now calling the men in the funny white coats to take me away. OR you're calling the rest of your family and introducing me to your closest single female family member. OK maybe just calling me over to make dinner then. Don't worry I'll still show...with wine.

Well this mythical dish DOES exist and you will love. Now I've taken an old Italian recipe and TCP'd it up a bit. This could almost give you hero status just for the speed alone to which you can whip this dish of love out. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Fettuccine with Creamy Garlic and Lemon Sauce with Basil and Parm. OK....Let's prep...

• 1 lb of Fettuccine (This serves 4, divide if you want to go smaller)
• Two Lemons, one zested and juiced, and one just juiced White Wine (the drier the better, a Chardonnay works well, I used the Sancerre)
• Heavy Cream 3 tbsp
• Unsalted Butter Parmesan Reggiano
• Sea Salt and FG Pepper
• Extra V Olive Oil
• 4-6 Cloves of Garlic sliced
• About a dozen Fresh Basil Leaves chopped

I usually prep as I cook, but in this case prep everything before you prep. It's just easier and speed is of the essence here. Right? Trust TPC.

Drop your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. This will take about 8 minutes (for al dente).....so you have that much time to whip up the sauce. and trust me...plenty of time if you pre-prepped. Ah ha! TPC is good, TPC is wise...

TPC NOTE: This is Fettuccine folks and I don't know about you, but I have found that it can stick really easily, so make sure you are stirring often to keep the strands separated.

In a large skillet heat your butter, about med heat. Once the butter melts, throw in the grated lemon zest; stirring until you get a nice little sizzle sound going. (Always listen to your cooking!) Add your garlic slices and cook until soft (careful not to brown). Pour in some white wine (a couple of splashes about a cup)and the lemon juice. Salt and FG Pepper and bring to a simmer. Cover the skillet, and let cook for a couple of minutes.

TPC NOTE: FG Pepper is optional because people don't like the visual, BUT I love the taste soooo...I put it in. BTW Garlic and Basil are NOT typical in this meal...That's our little added secret too shh...

Uncover the pan, and slowly whisk in the cream. You're eyeballing the thickness here, but I wouldn't do more than a cup. Keep stirring until it reduces to a nice creamy saucy consistency (use your preference on how creamy) it'll be about 2 or 3 minutes more...tops.

With the cream sauce at a nice little simmer, grab some tongs and pull the fettuccine out of the water and drop right into the skillet. Toss the pasta until well coated, you can use some of the pasta water if it looks too thick.

OK kill your flame (this is critical...NEVER cook your Parm, it'll break up in your pan...or at least it could. THEN what are you going to do? Huh?) Sprinkle about a cup of grated cheese and the basil over the pasta and continue to toss well. Finish with just a drizzle of olive oil, toss again, and load up some warm bowls (also key here) with this creamy goodness. Serve immediately, with more cheese at the table (there' is ALWAYS more cheese at my table...as it should be at yours).

And that's it....who's the hero??....You're the hero.

WINE NOTE: I went with a Sancerre here because it was in the recipe and because I found it really accentuated the lemon in the dish.

Until we do this again....

Enjoy....Have Fun...and Eat Well!

TPC