Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus 
• 4 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
• 0.8 pound fettuccine barilla 
• 0.1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper black
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 pinch nutmeg grated
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese grated plus more for serving
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 

Equipment

• pot

Directions

1. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them.
2. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fettuccine until almost done, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the asparagus; cook until it and the pasta are just done, about 4 minutes longer.
4. Drain the pasta and asparagus. Toss with the butter, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and Parmesan.
5. Serve with additional Parmesan.
6. Variations: Fettuccine Alfredo: Eliminate the asparagus.
7. Fettuccine Alfredo with Ham and Peas: Eliminate the asparagus.
8. Add 1 cup frozen peas to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Toss 1/4 pound of deli ham, cut into matchstick strips, with the remaining ingredients.
9. Fettuccine Alfredo with Fresh
10. Mixed Herbs: Eliminate the asparagus. Toss in 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, and/or chives, at the end.
11. Fettuccine Alfredo with Parsley and Sage: Eliminate the asparagus. Toss in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage at the end.
12. Wine Recommendation: A forcefully acidic white wine is a natural with asparagus and will pierce the richness of the sauce. Try one of the sauvignon blancs from New Zealand or a vernaccia from Italy.