I’ve never had the Cheesecake Factory’s Fettuccini With Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes. A quick nutrition search revealed that the dish comes in at a whopping 1,830 Calories. I’m sure it is delicious, no doubt with an abundance of cream and cheese in the sauce, but I like the idea of making a lighter version at home.

I came across this copy cat version that the creator raved about. Any dish with sun-dried tomatoes, fettuccine and garlic gets my attention right away anyhow, so I gave it a try.

And I loved it.

The sauce turns out thick and creamy with Greek yogurt and light sour cream doing the honors to add richness. This recipe did not include chicken, but you can always add some.

Lightened Up Cheesecake Factory Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

Ingredients:

¾ pound dried fettuccine
1 cup reserved pasta water
4 Tbs olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
1 (14.5 ounce) can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
3 Tbs tomato paste
½ Tbs granulated sugar
½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup light sour cream (don’t omit or sauce will curdle)
1½ cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
Some snipped spinach leaves, to garnish

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fettuccine. Cook according to directions on the box then drain (reserving 1 cup of the pasta water) and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and sour cream. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sundried tomatoes. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar. Stir until well combined.

5. Slowly add the yogurt and sour cream mixture, then whisk briskly to combine well. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes.

6. Season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste, then add the baby spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, add the cooked pasta and turn off the heat. Toss to coat the pasta. If the mixture seems too thick, then slowly add some of the reserved pasta water. (I like my pasta un-tossed for no good reason)

7. Top pasta with crushed red pepper flakes and some snipped spinach.
.
Serves 4

Recipe from Table For Two

A light song goes well with a light dinner. “Relentless Delight” is the new single from Stockholm based Cajsa Siik. Can’t help tapping my toes to that relentless beat.

Check out Cajsa Siik on her Website, where you can learn of upcoming Swedish tour dates. The music will be available for sale and download everywhere on September 1, 2014.

Cheers!