Cajun Fettucine Alfredo

We’ve pretty much given up white pasta completely. I don’t even notice that I’m eating whole wheat pasta anymore and I actually enjoy the texture. I’ve learned that the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. For example, if the box says cook for 11-13 minutes, I cook it for the full 13 and the result is very tender pasta. When I cook it for 11 minutes, it’s a lot tougher than traditional white pasta and you can definitely tell its wheat. I think this ‘tough’ pasta is what turns people away from liking wheat pasta.

I found this recipe flipping through my first issue of Cooking Light. You know I LOVE creamy pasta so I marked it immediately as a must try. When making my menu plans for the week, I remembered I had some leftover pancetta from spaghetti last week so I decided to try this recipe, subbing out the bacon. After I put it on the menu, Bryan had the idea to marinate the chicken in a Cajun sauce and add some Cajun seasoning to the pasta. FABULOUS idea! This had a great creamy taste with a little bit of spice to it. Yum, I loved it!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
8 oz. whole wheat linguini
2 oz. pancetta
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp AP flour
1 cup fat free milk
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. While pasta cooks, cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

5. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly.

6. Reduce heat to low. Add Cajun seasoning. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

7. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

8. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

The Facts
(Pasta Only)
4 Servings
Calories 291.6
Total Fat 9.5g
Fiber 6.0 g
WW Points 6