Tomato Basil Alfredo

     I recently acquired a basil plant (his name is Wilfred), and have been trying lately to find ways to use fresh basil.  So far, Tomato Basil Alfredo is my favorite use. 

     This is really a very adaptable idea, and I've done it various different ways, but the gist of it is pasta mixed with Alfredo sauce, topped with first basil, and then tomato.  Spaghetti, or fettuccine, or any other stringy pasta is much better than anything else, because it is much easier to mix without dropping noodles all over the place. 

     Definitely put it together differently if you're cooking for just yourself than if you are making it for other people as well.  If you are only making one dish of the Alfredo, it's really not worth the bother of making a whole batch of Alfredo sauce, and it's very easy to improvise using cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, pasta water, and a microwave, in the very dish you're going to be eating out of.  However, if it is a meal for several people, you are really better off making actual Alfredo sauce (this is a very good recipe), and putting together an assembly line so that everyone can put together their own food.

     As for the basil and tomato, they are the same no matter how you do everything else, and very simple.  Take a lot of fresh basil leaves, stack them up on top of each other, roll up the leaves cigar fashion (direction doesn't matter), and slice thinly. 

Slice tomatoes, and chop them into small cubes.  Sprinkle the basil on, and then the tomato, and, if desired, garnish with two smallish basil leaves.  This needs to be done after any microwaving is done, and, of course, after the Alfredo sauce and pasta are already mixed together.

Boxed pasta is perfectly acceptable, but if you choose to make your own pasta, here is a very good recipe.