Fettuccine all’ Alfredo got its name from Alfredo Di Lelio in the early nineteenth century. Following his mother’s footsteps, he opened his famous restaurant, Alfredo alla Scrofa, in Central Rome. The restaurant still stands today under different ownership. Articles suggest the dish as we know it today became popular during the World’s Fair of 1939.
Base ingredients are simple, fresh fettuccine, butter, heavy cream and quality grated parmigiana cheese and is often finished with a small amount of nutmeg plus salt and pepper to taste.
What mostly differentiates recipes are the proportions of butter, cream and parmigiana. Based on a pound of fettuccine, butter may vary from as little as 3 tablespoons to a cup and a half, heavy cream from 1 to almost 2 cups and parmigiana less than a cup to 2. Some recipes also use egg. I find egg unnecessary especially with homemade pasta that absorbs sauce and sometimes thickens with residual flour.
Preparations are also very similar. Cream is reduced with or without butter initially and chefs have opinions as to cooking temperature.
The real secret to this dish is finding fresh homemade or quality frozen fettuccine. If forced to use dry, spend a little extra and buy imported from Italy made with semolina. The texture of the pasta will be noticeable but still very pleasing.
In the very late 1970s while in Rome on business, I actually dined with a small group at Alfredo alla Scrofa. I was thrilled to have dined at perhaps the most notable restaurant in all of Italy. Alfredo was finished and assembled at table side. The theatre alone was worth the visit.
I did have one small disappointment. Their process used to make pasta appeared so refined, finished fettuccini almost tasted like commercial boxed pasta. Growing up, homemade fettuccini was thick and chewy. I couldn’t wait to let mom know Alfredo’s famous pasta wasn’t quite as good as hers.
We also had an unexpected surprise that night. Gary Collins, actor and talk show host and his wife, Mary Ann Mobley, former Miss America and actress where seated at the table next to us. They couldn’t have been any friendlier.