It was the best of Nosh, it was the worst of Nosh...

This marks the 100th blog entry for the National Nosh, and we've had some good times, haven't we? So let's take a look back over the past six months and reflect on the Nosh that was...

Here are my Top 5 blog entries so far:

5. It's not often that you can liven up winter fruit, so I'm a little proud of this recipe.

4. Say it loud, say it proud. I love chocolate!

3. I also love these. 

2. This recipe has the added bonus of a sneaky cheat. (Plus, it tastes great.)

1. And this one went, wee, wee, wee, all the way home. (And it includes my baked potato recipe, which remains the #1 recipe on The National Nosh.

In the interest of fairness, here are my Top 5 blog missteps so far:

5. Inappropriate menstruation reference in relation to a soothing hot beverage.

4. Baked brown rice. (Self explanatory.)

3. Linking to a video on how to make egg nog, does not a blog entry make. Also, egg nog is gross.

2. Two words: Batter Blaster. (But I actually stand by this product.)

1. Even James Chatto weighed in on this little ditty, emailing me to say, "Amy, only you could mention burgers and pancreatic cancer within the same review." 

A decadent classic

I'm usually all for updating recipes, by either making them a bit healthier or adding a modern-day ingredient to the mix. But not here. Not this time.

Because sometimes even I know when to leave well enough alone, as is the case with Fettuccine Alfredo. 

Alfredo sauce is pure decadence, all snowy white creaminess wrapped around hot strands of fettuccine. I guess I am making a twist on the workaday standard, by asking you to make your own fresh noodles. 

And how, pray tell, with your busy schedule and lack of a pasta maker, do you plan on doing this?

By heading to the grocery store, buying sheets of fresh lasagna noodles (usually a 360 gram package, enough to serve four), and then using kitchen scissors or a knife to cut the sheets lengthways, fettuccine style. (Cheater!)

Buon appetito.

HOMEMADE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

(serves 4)

Ingredents:

1 package fresh lasagna sheets, cut into strips (or, a box of dried fettuccine) 

1 cup whipping cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Method:

Put a big pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, pour in 3/4 cup of cream, stir in garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the cream to reduce and thicken a bit. Make sure it doesn't boil over. (Messy!) Stir every so often.

Add remaining cream and cook for several minutes more, then add cheese, stir to incorporate, and let simmer another 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Keep stirring for a couple minutes more.

Put fresh pasta in boiling water (you should have done this about five minutes ago if not using fresh; cook following directions on the box). Stir a couple of times -- the fresh noodles should float to the top and be cooked within 3-4 minutes. 

Drain in colander. 

Pour sauce into the bottom of the empty pasta pot, add pasta back into the pot with sauce, swirl to coat every noodle, then turn it all out into a big serving bowl, family style, and top with more Parmesan.