Creamy Spring Fettucine

If you've been following my blog, you know I like fairly simple and healthy dishes!  I love using food that's in season and guess what?  It's asparagus season!!!  So here's a quick dish inspired by something saw on the very lovely Everyday Occasions by Jenny Steffens Hobick blog.  Check it out - she's a tiny (and much cuter) version of Martha!  Love this blog! 

Rather than cream for this recipe, I used Boursin Cheese and it added a really creamy texture to the dish - very springy!!

Creamy Spring Fettucine
Ingredients:
4 slices Aldersmoked bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
2 cups chopped leek (white part only)
2 cups whte button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups asparagus, discard woody part & cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Boursin Garlic & Fine Herb soft-ripened cheese (flavoured cream cheese would also work)
1 pkg fresh fettucine, or your favourite pasta - reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water!

Method:
In a large non-stick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp.  Reserving the bacon fat, remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Add the olive oil to the bacon fat over medium heat and add the mushrooms.  Saute for about 4 minutes, get those mushrooms soaking up all the nice flavour from the bacon fat.  At this point, put a big pot of water on to boil - I will always remember something I learned from a cooking show - make sure the water is waiting for you, not the other way around!! 

Add leeks and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. 

Next, add the asparagus and the boursin and stir to coat.  Start adding some of the pasta water - about 1/4 cup to start, stirring, and then keep adding till it hits the consistency you like!  Season with salt & pepper.  Cook for another couple of minutes.

almost done... all you need is the fettucine!

If you're using fresh pasta, it really only needs to be cooked for a minute or two, eventhough the package may lie and say 4-5 minutes. If you overcook it, you'll have a doughy mass of noodle-ish goo!  Trust me here, so make the pasta as the sauce is almost done cooking - you don't want the pasta to be sitting around hardening up or sticking together!

Plate your meal: top fettucine with the sauce and top with bacon bits!  And guess what?  This dinner is done in under half an hour!