If it's Tuesday it must be Pasta

Well actually, it's not Tuesday, that was yesterday. But it was pasta. When I was working full time (at a job outside the home that I commuted to on a daily basis, not what I have now which is looking for a job and believe me that is as full time as it gets, anyway I digress) I normally got home somewhere between 6:00 & 6:30 PM and I cooked dinner every single night; not because I had to but because I wanted to. It should be quite clear by now to the vast audience that follows this blog that I love to cook. It's creative, cathartic, therapeutic and a whole bunch of other great things that I can't think of right now. It also keeps my husband happy and he brags to all his friends as to how his wife cooks every night which is a nice notch on my lipstick case since most of theirs don't. Now having said all of that there are times, whether I'm working or not, where I don't really feel like cooking and going out is not an option; and that's where pasta can come in very handy. There are endless ways of cooking pasta with very few ingredients and not a lot of time or effort and I've got a few of those up my sleeve and as ridiculous as this may sound: I've decided on a new feature for my blog for Tuesday pasta dishes. OK, do I make quickie pasta every Tuesday, no, it used to be every Thursday and it normally consisted of tortellini with pesto but who's bothering with technicalities when a tradition is born. So without further ado, or endless drivel, here is:

Pasta Tuesdays
Fettuccine with Roquefort, Lemon Zest & Rosemary
adapted from Patricia Wells

3 tbsp butter, at room temp
3 tbsp Roquefort cheese, at room temp
3 tbsp sea salt
1 lb. fresh or dried fettuccine
About 1 cup of pasta cooking water
Freshly grated nutmeg t taste
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
Freshly grated black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to lowest possible setting, 200F and place a large heatproof bowl in oven to warm.
2. In a small bowl, mash the butter and cheese until blended, set aside.
3. In a large pot bring 6 qts of water to a boil. Add salt and the pasta, cook until tender. Drain the pasta, leaving a few drops of water clinging to it so the sauce will adhere. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
4. Place the pasta in the warmed bowl and add the butter-cheese mixture, toss until the pasta absorbs the mixture. Slowly add the cooking water, one tablespoon at a time until the water is absorbed (this will thicken the sauce). Season generously with nutmeg and toss with lemon zest and rosemary.

Season generously with pepper, toss once more and serve.

Serves 4 to six, if you're lucky.

So there we are, our first Pasta Tuesday (on Wednesday).

Max would like to start his own tradition and he'll let me know what that is once he's done napping.