Italian
Fettuccine Alfredo (the Original, No Cream)
The original Roman fettuccine Alfredo: just butter, Parmigiano Reggiano and pasta water emulsified into a silky sauce. No cream, 15 minutes.
ItalianFettuccine Alfredo
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Effort
- Medium
The Alfredo you know from restaurant menus — thick, heavy, full of cream — is an American invention. The original, created in Rome in the early 1900s, is fettuccine al burro: fresh fettuccine tossed with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano until they melt together with a little pasta water into a light, glossy sauce.
It's all technique. The starch in the pasta water is what turns butter and cheese into a sauce instead of an oily clump, so read the steps once before you start.
Method
Get everything ready
Cook and emulsify
Serve
Tips that make the difference
- Add the cheese off the heat. Too much heat makes Parmigiano seize into stringy lumps.
- If the sauce breaks and looks oily, add a splash of hot pasta water and toss vigorously — it will come back together.
- Pre-grated cheese in packets contains anti-caking powder and won't melt smoothly. Grate it yourself.
- Parmigiano Reggiano is made with animal rennet. For a strictly vegetarian version, use a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese.