Now this isn’t a super low calorie meal, pasta dishes seldom are, but for a special treat, and as long as you plan for it in your calorie budget, this meal makes a hugely flavourful and very filling dinner for two. Made with real butter and real cream, this is one dish where alternative ingredients used to cut calories just won’t do! To me, the tang of yogurt or even creme fraiche gives the game away, so I use real butter and real cream – thankfully you don’t need too much of either.   Also, fresh pasta like this is really filling, more so – I think – than everyday dried pasta. This meal is very easy to prepare and cook… 15 minutes max! 

Its best to prepare all your ingredients first, because once you start to cook it’ll be ready in no time.   Mushrooms first… right now in the Canadian mid-winter, all I can get in terms of interesting fresh mushrooms are  packs of pre-sliced mixed mushrooms called Restaurant Blend; some Mini Bellas, Oyster Mushrooms and Shitakes.

Any similar mix of mushrooms is fine, just pick through them removing any woody stalks and tearing the bigger caps into smaller pieces.

Then finely chop a medium (2inch) shallot, peel a garlic clove ready to crush, and finely chop a small handful of fresh parsley (a teaspoon of dried parsley will do fine if you don’t have any fresh). 

Set a large pot of water to boil ready to cook the pasta.

Start by melting the butter in a large non stick frying pan on a low heat, then gently sweat the shallots, stirring to make sure they don’t stick or brown, and soften them for about 2 minutes. Once the shallots are soft, add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan, increase the heat to medium and cook the mushrooms, stirring often, till they’re soft… about 7 minutes.

Now add the fresh fettuccine to the pot of water (cooking time for fresh pasta is usually only 4-5 minutes).  Season the mushrooms with freshly ground black pepper and some sea salt. Then add the parsley and two ladles of pasta water and give it all a good stir.

Once the pasta is close to being ready, pour the cream onto the mushrooms, stir well and simmer on high for 30seconds. Turn off the heat and drag the cooked pasta onto the mushrooms, bringing more pasta water along too. Stir well to distribute the mushrooms amongst the fettuccine, then dish up into two pasta bowls.

We like to sprinkle over some red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.

RECIPE: CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA 502cals 

Serves 2. You will need a large non stick frying pan, and a large saucepan.

Ingredients:

• 350g mixed fresh mushrooms, torn if they’re large
• 30g (1 two-inch) dried shallots, finely chopped
• 1 clove of carlic, crushed
• 1tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (or ½ tsp dried parsley)
• ⅓ cup (80ml) cream
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 
• ¼ – ½ tsp sea salt (to taste)
• 260g fresh fettuccine

Method:

• Begin heating a large pot of water, ready to cook the pasta
• Gently melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan
• Add the chopped shallots to the pan and cook gently on a low heat till they’re soft, stir occasionally so they don’t brown
• Add the garlic and mushrooms and raise the heat to medium. Cook,  stirring often, till they soften.
• Meanwhile cook the fettuccine in the boiling water – fresh pasta usually only takes 4-5 minutes.
• Once the mushrooms have browned and softened, season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. Add two ladles of pasta water and the parsley.
• Once the pasta is close to being ready, pour the cream onto the mushrooms, stir well and simmer on high for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
• Drag the cooked pasta into the pan of creamy mushrooms, bringing some more pasta water across as well.
• Toss well to distribute the mushrooms and sauce.
• Serve immediately, before the pasta soaks up all the creamy sauce