Fettuccini Alfredo Florentine

The other day I came across one of the most poignant blog posts by The Way The Cookie Crumbles. First off, her pictures of the fettuccini had me drooling on my keyboard. But after I got over that, I read the text, and I realized I wanted to call her on the phone and THANK HER for writing this post. To basically sum it up, she said that, like most women, she too has struggled with body image issues and fought with that "I shouldn't eat this..." voice. She went on to say that she now realizes that what she needs to give up is not fettuccini alfredo, but the guilt associated with foods like this. AMEN sista.

I am a big proponent of everything in moderation. I would hate to live a life where I feared food like this. If you live a healthy lifestyle it's fine to eat creamy pasta now and then. It's fine to eat cake. Pizza and cookies shouldn't be feared. Weddings, parties, and social events shouldn't be dreaded. I too once feared food. I gained 30 pounds in my first year of marriage because I "feared food" and would over indulge when presented with decadence. Over the past year I have lost 20-25 pounds, but honestly- I'll keep that last 10 pounds. Because I'm healthy, I am thin, and I love food. And I refuse to live a life where I can't enjoy the greatest pleasures the culinary world has to offer. I've learned to accept those 10 pounds and not only accept them but appreciate them. They show me that I can have it all- I can still be physically fit and love food. And that is the greatest gift of all.

So now that I'm done with that, let's all get to the pasta, shall we? This was decadent and rich and creamy. I'm not the biggest alfredo fan but my friend Natalie suggested using Pecorino Romano cheese and Oh.Mah.Gawd... it made a world of difference. This was seriously worth every calorie in it. John was in heaven- he's the fan of creamy pasta in this house- and I wasn't too far behind. I used a combo of  some chicken broth and cream to help thin the sauce out. I also bulked it up with spinach. It was sinfully delicious. I can't wait to make it again.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

6 ounces fresh fettucini (cooked and kept hot)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp butter

1/2 tbsp flour

1 tsp butter

4 slices proscuitto, sliced thin 
3/4 cup light cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

3/4 cup pecorino romano

salt

pepper

Directions:

1- Mince the garlic and onion into small pieces.

2- Heat a saucepan with the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

3- Add the proscuitto, stir well. 

4- Add the flour, stir. It should form a paste.

5- Add the butter and allow it to melt. Pour in the light cream and chicken broth. 

6- Once the cream/broth mixture is hot and about to boil, lower the heat and add in the cheese and spinach. Stir well. Once the spinach is wilted, season with salt and pepper to taste.

7- Serve tossed with hot fettuccini.