Yes, this a true Roman pasta dish. It's not hard to make and definitely not low fat!

I was just reading about Fettuccine Alfredo over the Christmas Holidays. Yes, there really is an Alfredo and the dish was originated in Rome.

The story goes that Alfredo's wife had given birth and to help her regain her strength he created this dish. "This added extra fat and protein to the classic Roman tradition of eating fettuccine with butter and Parmesan cheese.

While visiting Alfredo's restaurant (Alfredo all Scorfa), Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were served the dish. They loved it so much that they presented Alfredo with a gold fork and spoon in honor of this dish.

There are now three Alfredo ristorante in Rome, but none owned by the original Alfredo's family.

When the recipe was brought to the US, American chefs couldn't get the triple cream used in Italy. They began to add items such as swiss cheese or eggs. A trick to thickening American heavy cream is to open the container and leave it sit in the refrigerator over night. It's not the same, but will help. Also, make sure your refrigerator is clean. The cream will pick up smells, so toss out the old fish.

Here is a simple recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccine
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup of the best Parmesan cheese you can get, Parmigiano Reggiano if possible, grate it yourself

Directions

1. Place the butter in a shallow serving dish over the pot the fettuccine water is heating in.
2. When it is melted add the warm cream, mix gently and stir in about 2/3 of the cheese.
3. Remove the serving dish from the pot, cook the fettuccine, drain, and pour immediately into the serving dish. Toss well.
4. Top with the remaining cheese, and serve immediately.

Note: You can use linguine if you want or fusili for a fun look. Don't use spaghetti, it won't hold the enough sauce.

Paula Laurita
Italian Food Host

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