Rich in flavor, butter, and cheese, Fettuccini Alfredo recipes are recommended for anyone looking for a deeply satisfying and delicious dinner.
You Can Call Me Alfredo
Fettuccini (or 'fettuccine' as it can be spelled either way) is a flat pasta slightly wider than linguini but not as wide as a noodle. Fettuccini is Italian for "little ribbons" and that is exactly what it looks like. It is made with egg and all-purpose flour.
Fettuccine Alfredo has an interesting history. Using cheese to thicken cream for a more savory sauce was a popular practice in Italy. In general, the Italian dish was called "Fettuccine al burro e panna," which translates as Fettuccini with butter and cream.
As the legend tells it, film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks were on their honeymoon in Rome in 1927 when they stopped into a restaurant owned by Alfredo di Lelio called Alfredo alla Scrofa. Alfredo had altered the usual recipe of Fettuccini al burro (fettuccini with butter), which used a double dose of butter and a good amount of parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Alfredo took up the practice of preparing the dish at tableside, making a show of the preparation.
When Mary and Douglas returned to America, they brought the Fettuccini Alfredo recipes home with them, serving it to their friends and spreading its popularity.
By 1977, Alfredo's son (also named Alfredo) opened a restaurant in New York City's Rockefeller center named Alfredo's. The popularity of Fettuccini Alfredo really took off then with Fettuccini all'Alfredo (Fettuccine in the style of Alfredo) available at every Italian restaurant in the country. The sauce soon began appearing in jars on supermarket shelves, although the recipe is so simple that I'm surprised more people don't make it themselves at home.
Fettuccini Alfredo Recipes
It should be noted that using the best Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese you can find is very important. Some Fettuccini Alfredo recipes may tell you to use other cheeses, but the best flavor will be obtained by using only Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Once you have made the Alfredo sauce, the Fettuccini Alfredo recipes are endless. Shrimp, diced chicken, steamed vegetables, or whatever you happen to like can be added to the Fettuccini Alfredo.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 pound of Fettuccini
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped fine
Instructions
- Heat at least one gallon of water to boiling.
- Once the water is boiling, add at least two tablespoons of salt.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water.
- Place the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and melt it.
- Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the butter, whisking until it forms a creamy sauce.
- Taste for salt and pepper.
- Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.
- Add a bit of the cooking water to the sauce and then toss the pasta with the sauce.
- Serve the Fettuccini Alfredo garnished with a splash of the chopped parsley.
Alternate Alfredo
Here's another Fettuccini Alfredo recipe that uses cream. This recipe serves 8-10 people.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 ounces of butter
- 6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 ½ pounds of Fettuccine
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine one cup of the cream and the butter in a sauté pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce by one-fourth, and remove from heat.
- Drop the noodles into boiling salted water, return to a full boil, and drain but reserve some of the cooking liquid. The noodles must be slightly undercooked because they will cook further in the cream.
- Put the drained noodles in the pan with the hot cream and butter. Over low heat, toss the noodles with two forks until they are well coated with the cream.
- Add the remainder of the cream and the cheese and toss to mix well (if the noodles seem dry at this point, add a little more cream or some of the cooking liquid).
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate and serve immediately. Offer additional grated cheese at the table.
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