Dish · italian
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine tossed with butter and grated parmesan, emulsified with starchy pasta water into a sauce with no cream in the original version. It coats the noodles in a light, glossy layer.
Where it comes from
Alfredo di Lelio is credited with creating it at his Rome restaurant in the early 20th century, using extra butter and cheese to please his wife after childbirth. The heavy cream version served widely outside Italy is a later American addition.
What cooks argue about
The real fight is cream versus none: American versions add heavy cream for a thicker sauce, while the original relies only on butter, cheese, and pasta water. The emulsion without cream takes more skill.
Versions
Nobody has published a fettuccine alfredo here yet. When somebody cooks one from a video and publishes it, their version appears in this list, with a link back to the original.
What goes in it
Each one opens everything else made with it.
butter
heavy cream
black pepper