Today’s spotlight is on Fettuccini Alfredo.

Fettuccine Alfredo or fettuccine al burro is an Italian pasta dish of fresh fettuccine tossed with butter and parmesan. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich cheese sauce coating the pasta.

Fettuccine Alfredo is a rich, creamy pasta dish with a hint of garlic. The sauce is made with butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. The parmesan cheese gives the sauce a salty, tangy flavor. Some recipes also include milk and cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Taste

• Rich and creamy
• Tangy and salty
• Savory and indulgent
• Hint of garlic

Texture Silky, Creamy, Garlicky.

Other notes

• The original recipe only includes butter, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.
• The pasta shaped fettuccine is ideal for capturing the creaminess of the sauce.

The recipe for fettuccine Alfredo has changed over time. The most popular addition was thickeners like heavy cream and sometimes flour.

Other changes include:

• Ingredients: The sauce now includes ingredients like flour, cream, milk, and shrimp or chicken.
• Serving: In the U.S., it is often served as a main course, sometimes garnished with chicken or other ingredients.
• Seasoning: It may be served with garlic and parsley.

The original recipe only contains three ingredients: fettuccine, young Parmesan cheese, and butter.

 

History

Alfredo di Lelio created fettuccine Alfredo in Rome, Italy in 1908. The dish was originally called “fettuccine al triplo burro”.

• Invention: Alfredo di Lelio created the dish to encourage his wife to eat after she gave birth to their first child. He added extra butter to the fettuccine.
• Restaurant: Alfredo di Lelio served the dish at his restaurant, Alfredo’s.
• Discovery: In 1927, silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks discovered the dish while honeymooning in Rome. They asked for the recipe and brought it home to the U.S.
• Name: The dish is named after its creator, Alfredo di Lelio.

Fettuccine Alfredo is made with fresh-egg fettuccine, butter, and parmesan.

 

Here are some fun facts about Alfredo sauce:

• Alfredo sauce is a combination of butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese. The butter and cream create a rich base, while the Parmesan cheese adds a salty flavor.
• Alfredo sauce became popular in America in the early 20th century after American tourists spread the word about their favorite dish while traveling in Italy.
• The closest cousin to Alfredo sauce in Italy is a sauce known as “al burro” (with butter). This sauce is pasta served with melted butter that’s sometimes infused with fresh sage, as well as grated Parmigiano.
• The recipe for Alfredo sauce has changed over time. The most popular addition was thickeners like heavy cream and sometimes flour.

 

Here are some more fun facts about fettuccine Alfredo:

• National Fettuccine Alfredo Day: National Fettuccine Alfredo Day is celebrated on February 7.
• Italian dish: Fettuccine Alfredo is 100% Italian.
• Protein: Fettuccine Alfredo is a good source of protein, with 18 grams per serving.
• Ceremony: The dish was prepared tableside at Alfredo di Lelio’s restaurant.
• Hollywood stars: The dish became famous in 1927 when Hollywood stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks dined at Alfredo di Lelio’s restaurant. They spread the word when they returned to America.

 

Here is a Fettuccini Alfredo recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Fettuccine Pasta
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Garlic Clove (minced)
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley (optional)

 

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat water over high heat until boiling. Add salt to season the water. Once it is boiling, add fettuccine and cook according to package instructions.
2. In a large skillet or pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.
3. Let the heavy cream reduce and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Add half of the parmesan cheese to the mixture and whisk well until smooth. Keep over the heat and whisk well until cheese is melted.
4. Save some pasta water. The pasta water is full of flavor and can be used to thin out the sauce.
5. Toss alfredo sauce with fettuccine pasta and add half of the parmesan cheese. Once it is tossed, garnish with the remaining parmesan cheese. Add a little pasta water if it needs to be thinned out.
6. Garnish with Italian parsley, if so desired.
7. Enjoy!

 

Consumption

According to Tastewise, people consume fettuccine Alfredo an average of 1.19 times per year.

A typical serving of fettuccine Alfredo has 1,200 calories, 75 grams of fat, 47 grams of saturated fat, and more than half a day’s worth of sodium.

 

Celebrating Fettuccine Alfredo

National Fettuccini Alfredo Day is celebrated annually on February 7^th.

Let us know in the comments if you love Fettuccine Alfredo.