Rich and creamy, this recipe for Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers bears resemblance to a robust alfredo.

It’s a grim grey day in Maine today, the kind that comes with a dim brightness that makes you want to crawl back into bed with a book and emerge again tomorrow. Days like today are hard at this time of year (and in the winter and spring too) because there are so many of them — and they don’t do much for the psyche or soul.

Fortunately, there are a few things we can do to struggle through the dark days. We can eat well. Summer’s fresh produce becomes a flavorful treat when the growing season ends. We can indulge our desires to curl up and read — and it can be surprisingly refreshing to check out for a day. And we can laugh. Whether it’s thanks to a good book, a good show or the company of others, laughter has a way of brightening things.

But back to the food: Comforting, warming pasta dishes like this Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers are perfect on days like this.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. First, you brown the bacon. Then you add minced garlic and cook that till it’s fragrant — it only take a minute or so. When with a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer, take the bacon and the garlic from the pan. Set it aside. You’ll add it back in later.

Add heavy cream and a little nutmeg to the pan and whisk it in. A little grated Romano cheese, salt and pepper finish off the sauce base

Stir in the reserved bacon and garlic, as well as some roasted red peppers.

Then toss that lovely, flavorful sauce with the pasta.

A sprinkling of parsley, freshly chopped and bright green, finishes off the delish in a delightful flourish.

Aren’t you so glad you make this Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers?

Yield: 6 servings

Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients

1 lb fettuccine
4 oz bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
pinch ground nutmeg
¾ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
thinly sliced roasted red peppers
finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.
While the fettuccine is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and brown. Once it's just about done, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Use a slotted spoon or a wire mesh skimmer to remove the bacon and the garlic from the pan.
Whisk the heavy cream and nutmeg into the pan. Add the Romano cheese and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove from heat and stir the bacon, garlic and roasted red peppers into the sauce until thoroughly combined. Add the cooked, drained fettuccine to the sauce and toss well to combine. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.