Saturday Night Special Crab Fettuccine with Basil Cream Sauce

This is a special occasion dish - perfect for an anniversary or birthday! It is from my Junior League of Minneapolis cookbook and is really, really good.  If you can, use crab from the meat department (instead of canned crab) to do it justice.  I hope you decide to give this recipe a try...you will not be sorry!

Crab Fettuccine with Basil Cream Sauce

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 - 1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup cooked fresh or frozen crabmeat

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

1 lb uncooked fettuccine

Melt butter and oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add tomatoes and garlic; simmer slowly until tomatoes soften and begin to break down.  Add cream and 1/3 cup white wine.  Simmer 10 minutes, thinning with additional wine if sauce becomes thicker than heavy cream.  Stir in basil, crabmeat, salt and pepper.  Simmer 3 minutes.  Add 1/2 of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of parsley.  Keep sauce warm. Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain. Toss with sauce.  Garnish with whole basil leaves, remaining cheese and parsley.