Fettuccine Alfredo - World Famous But Probably "Passé"

Today I would like to share with you some history...

Alfredo's Restaurant In Rome Courtesy Of Google

Maria and I got married in August of 1981 in Athens in the nice little church of Agia Filothei. A few days later had to go to the head office in Paris to assume my post in Tunisia. On our way to Paris we stopped in Rome for a couple of days for some shopping in Via Dei Condotti and to have dinner at Alfredo's where my uncle and godfather used to go often when in Rome. 

 

Fresh Fettuccine Made Daily At Alfredo's Courstesy Of Google

Alfredo's of Rome began in 1914 when his wife's loss of appetite during her pregnancy (or after she had Alfredo II depending which story you hear) made Alfredo worried about his wife's health and went to the kitchen one evening to prepare her a plate of Fettuccine with butter and Parmesan cheese.  His wife loved his preparation so much that she insisted they include it in their little restaurant's menu. 

The "Fettuccine Alfredo" dish has become world famous especially in the United States.  Back in the days of silent movies, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, then famous Hollywood stars,  had gone to Rome on their honeymoon and frequently dined at Alfredo's restaurant and loved it. When they returned to Hollywood they told their friends, the other movie actors, and so Alfredo's in Rome took off and the recipe "Fettuccine Alfredo" became well known (at least in the United States).

In fact until now, you can see vintage pictures of movie stars like Sophia Loren, Carlo Ponti, Fernandel the French comedian and other important people who ate there.

In the "dialetto Romanesco" (Roman dialect) Fettuccine is the Romans' way of saying Tagliatelle or, as we know them: egg noodles. The names go according to the width. Papardelle are the 1 inch wide or slightly less egg noodles or Tagliatelle are the ½ inch or slightly less, and Tagliolini are the ¼ inch or slightly less. To the Romans' they are all Fettuccine. (Do not quote me on this).

The authentic Alfredo recipe is only butter of excellent quality and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Parmesan).

 More precisely as follows courtesy of Annacia.

Annacia's note: The following recipe is courtesy of Russel Bellanca, owner of Alfredo's of Rome. 

You will need:
Serves 4

- 500 gr of very thin egg noodles freshly made.
-  180 gr of extra fine fresh butter softened at room temperature.
-  180 gr of extra good quality aged 24 months of Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated.
Method:

-  Cook the fettuccine noodles in 5 liters of boiling salted water for three minutes (in case they are freshly made -  the dry ones longer).
-  In the meantime, mix butter at room temperature in a bowl with the grated cheese until the cheese almost dissolves, forming a smooth cream.  If a mixer is used then your work will be much easier and faster.
-  When pasta is ready and al dente, strain, leaving just a very small amount of the water. 
-  Turn off heat, combine sauce with the noodles. Plate the preparation. Add the reserved water to make
-  Cheese lovers may want to sprinkle additional grated cheese on top.

There is however another recipe given to me by a friend which goes like this:

Fettuccine Alfredo

You will therefore need:
Serves 4
-  300 gr fettuccine noodles.
-  ½ cup butter.
-  5 cloves of chopped garlic.
-  1 cup heavy cream.
-  1 egg yolk.
-  2 cups freshly grated Permesan cheese.
-  2 Tbsp. dried parsley.
Method:
-  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
-  Add fettuccine pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes (this shows that they are dry pasta- not fresh) until they are al dente. Drain.
-  In a large skillet melt the butter and add the chopped garlic.  Cook on low heat stirring making sure the garlic does not burn (or else the taste with completely change).
-  Pour about ¼ cup of the heavy cream into a small bowl.  Add the egg yolk and beat the heck out of it. Set aside.
-  Pour the remaining cream into a frying pan and heat on medium-high heat. As cream starts to boil, slowly pour the cold cream/egg mixture and whisk rapidly. You wouldn't want the egg to curdle. Continue to whisk until all cold egg/cream mixture and  the hot cream are well blended together and quite hot.
-  Add 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese and continue to mix the cream. Pour in the remaining parmesan cheese and parsley and mix till smooth. 
-  Immediately remove from stove and serve over cooked pasta.


I shall leave it up to you my friends and readers to choose any one or both of the recipes above.


Sure thank you for ready till here.
Bon Appétit
Stelio