Rocco's Fettuccine Alfredo

Here is another excellent Rocco DiSpirito recipe from Runner's World magazine. I still think that Runner's World is an unlikely source for cooking inspiration, but so far I have gotten two great dishes from it. I guess that I should keep an open mind more often, since I never know where or when I am going to find a fantastic recipe like this one!

Rocco's Fettuccine Alfredo
From: Runner's World magazine, The Athlete's Palate April 2010

Ingredients:
8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup 5 percent Greek yogurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine; cook according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook two minutes.

Combine cornstarch and nutmeg in a small bowl; whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Pour into saute pan, raise the heat, and bring sauce to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

Whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in yogurt until smooth.

Toss fettuccine with Alfredo sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with remaining cheese. Serves four.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 336
CARBS: 47 G
PROTEIN: 18 G
FAT: 10 G



The Result:
This was just as creamy and decadent as the original version of fettuccine alfredo, without all the extra fat and calories. It was so satisfying, and went perfectly with the spinach salad I served on the side. I ended up substituting whole wheat linguine noodles, instead of using the fettuccine; I could not find whole wheat fettuccine pasta anywhere(go figure!). This pasta came together quickly, and I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. I have another vegetarian keeper to add to my bag of tricks!