Fettucine With Mushrooms and Prosciutto


Olive oil cooking spray
12-oz fettuccine noodles
½ cup minced onion
4 cloves minced or pressed garlic
½ pound fresh portabella mushrooms with gills removed and thinly sliced
½ pound fresh or reconstituted porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced or chopped (1 cup dry)
1/8 to a ¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips
4 ounces 98% fat free ham thinly sliced, cut into thin strips
¾ cup 50% less fat cream cheese, softened (6 ounces)
½ cup fat free half and half
¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese plus 4 tablespoons more for serving
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley


In a large pot of water cook fettuccine until al dente, pour off ½ cup of pasta cooking water then rinse and drain pasta and set aside. If using dried mushrooms, add very hot water to cover mushrooms and soak for 30 minutes, drain off liquid in into separated container and set mushrooms aside after chopping. Strain liquid through a sieve to remove sediments and set aside.

Heat a large deep skillet or casserole sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium- high, add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms are tender 3 to 4 minutes. If mushrooms begin to dry out add a little of the liquid from the reconstituted porcini mushrooms

Reduce heat to medium-low add prosciutto, ham and fettuccine to pan along with cream cheese and fat free half and half. Toss the pasta together with the other ingredients until the sauce is creamy. If sauce becomes too thick add a small amount pasta cooking water or mushroom liquid. Stir in the grated cheese and toss until combined then remove from heat.

Divide pasta among 4 large shallow serving bowls and sprinkle each with chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon additional cheese.

Yield 4 servings each at 527 calories; 12 grams total fat; 6.3 grams saturated fat; 49 milligrams cholesterol; 78 gram total carbohydrate; 4 grams dietary fiber; 30.5 grams protein; 1254 milligrams sodium

Traditional recipe made with mascarpone cream cheese and ¼ cup olive oil weights in at 987 calories and 45 grams total fat compared to 527 calories and 12 grams total fat.

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