Baked Fettucine

In 1986, Bolla wines published a cookbook call The Joy of Pasta. My father found a copy at the Mt. Dora library book sale last year and slipped it into my Christmas stocking. It is a treasure trove of pasta recipes, some simple, some elaborate. It is clearly from the time when pasta was enjoying the food trend spotlight. The recipes cater to neither low carb nor low fat diets. Instead, they approach ingredients with a gleeful abandon, resulting in some wonderful and unusual outcomes.

Baked fettuccine takes macaroni and cheese from a familiar and humble favorite to an extravagant showstopper that includes Fontina cheese, butter, and heavy cream. Although it is substantial and delicious enough to be a main dish, its calorie content suggests that it may be more prudent as a side dish. We found ourselves going back for "just one more bite" more than once. This recipe easily serves 6-8.



You will need a glass baking dish, preferably oval in shape, approximately 9 x 14 x 2 inches. If it is made of clear glass, you will have the added benefit of being able to see how the crust is coming along.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb fettuccine
5 Tbs butter
1 lb Fontina cheese, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten


PROCEDURE

1. Prepare the fettucine in boiling slated water until al dente. Drain well and return to pot. Add the butter, Fontina, Parmesan, cream and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Thoroughly butter the casserole dish making sure to get an even coating on the bottom and sides. Add half the bread crumbs and tilt the dish back and forth to cover the buttered surface. Empty the extra crumbs onto a sheet of wax paper. Add the beaten egg and tilt to cover the bread crumbs. Add the remaining bread crumbs and tilt again to cover the entire surface. Discard excess crumbs.
3. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the pasta mixture into the double crusted baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes. If your baking dish is clear, you will be able to see the crust browning. When it is golden brown, it's ready.
4. Turn the timballo out onto a serving platter and garnish with parsley.