"Authentic" Fettuccine Alfredo

[Andy M.]

Twenty or twenty-five years ago, a woman I was dating taught me how to make fettuccine Alfredo. I was just learning how to cook and she was much more adept. She gave me a basic recipe using butter, cheese and heavy cream. I've been making it that way, with and without additions, since then.

I subsequently learned that recipe wasn't authentic as the original recipe was butter, cheese and pasta cooking water. I've never tried to make it this way until today.

I got a pasta maker for a Christmas gift and have used it a couple of times. Earlier this week, I defrosted a disk of pasta dough leftover from another effort and my GD and I made fresh fettuccine to go with Alfredo sauce for dinner the other night. I made that recipe with cream as I wanted to experiment with the original recipe when it wasn't a family meal. I reserved a small portion of pasta dough for the experiment.

Today's lunch was the experiment. I rolled out some fettuccine noodles and cooked them in a smaller than usual amount of water to ensure I had a starchy enough liquid. Meanwhile I melted some butter and readied some parm reg.

I drained the noodles and saved some of the water, added the pasta to the butter, added the cheese and some of the water. Everything got tossed together. What started out looking like a watery mess came together to create a nice creamy sauce for the pasta. A little salt and pepper and I had a fantastic lunch.

First of all, fresh made and cut pasta is noticeably different and better than dry. Second, the flavor of the cheese stands out more in the absence of the extra fat from the cream. As the pasta cooled on my plate, the sauce thickened. I probably could have added a little more water. On the whole it was a very good experience. I'll have to experiment on the family next time. GD is lactose intolerant so the absence of cream will be better for her.

I think my next pasta experiment will be to make lasagna noodles. I just have to figure out the right thickness.

 

[Sagittarius]

Wonderful news ..

 

[caseydog]

Thanks for sharing your experiment.

I like Fettuccini Alfredo, but always wondered how authentic it was, because it was really heavy. What you did in your experiment sounds more "Italian" to me. To me, real Italian pasta dishes satisfy your hunger, but don't make you feel "stuffed."

Let us know how the lasagna turns out. I love lasagna -- I just need to learn not to eat a Garfield portion size. (Oooops, you have to click the link to watch the video)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75PCq-Wcdhw

CD

 

[Andy M.]

Funny, that's what happens in my kitchen when I make lasagna. I always make sure the goat has clean hooves.

 

[Sagittarius]

What a fantastic Video !!

It is hilarious. Thank you for posting.

An Italian friend of mine, authored an amazing book on Authenticity of Italian classics around the world. The book comes in English on a PDF via Amazon and it is called:
Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Bolognaise & Caesar Salad.

It is astoundingly incredible how the interpretations of other nations re invent the classics of another country.

 

[CraigC]

What a fantastic Video !!

It is hilarious. Thank you for posting.

An Italian friend of mine, authored an amazing book on Authenticity of Italian classics around the world. The book comes in English on a PDF via Amazon and it is called:
Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Bolognaise & Caesar Salad.

It is astoundingly incredible how the interpretations of other nations re invent the classics of another country.

That is one of the reasons I try and stay away from words like authentic and traditional when it comes to food.

 

[Sagittarius]

People from hamlets, villages, tiny towns worldwide, still take great pride in their local naturally grown ingredients and their food and wine culture.

These particular recipes are " historical " and when, they are prepared in another nation, what happens is, that the local product, and interpretation changes quite a bit.

This is the same for an American Apple Pie, as it is for a lasagne or pizza or sushi or paella ..

The products are different and in uncountable situations, the nuances are enormous, especially in fish and shellfish varieties, rice types, beef variations, kinds of fruit etcetra.

One can grow apples in Washington State, New York State, however, apples in Asturias or Normandy or Japan are different. So, an apple pie, is going to taste a little different.

Obvious.

I think, most people use the words classic or traditional to indicate that the original dish is based in food culture history of a specific place ..

It is different when someone is born and raised in a place and they prepare a historical dish, then when a person thousands of kilometres away, prepares the same recipe. Both are probably wonderful, however, there will be a difference due to, water, climate, local product and even the seasonings and what goes into the recipe.

Authenticity and traditional or classic are just words indicating a historical significance, whether it is a particular family´s tradition or a Roman or Greek historical tradition from centuries ago.

Have a nice day.

 

[medtran49]

I was always under the impression that European butter, at least when this dish was "invented," contained a lot more fat/cream than American butter, which is where adding the heavy cream came in.

 

[Andy M.]

That is one of the reasons I try and stay away from words like authentic and traditional when it comes to food.

This is why I put the word "Authentic" in quotes.

I was always under the impression that European butter, at least when this dish was "invented," contained a lot more fat/cream than American butter, which is where adding the heavy cream came in.

European butters often have a higher fat content than American butter. That difference can be offset by adding a little more butter. The water cooks off and you're left with more fat...

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the few classic dishes that can be traced to a specific single point of origin. So one can have a higher degree of confidence that the original recipe is being followed.

 

[buckytom]

Sounds really good Andy.

I am giving DW a pasta maker this Sunday for Mother's Day.

It was originally intended to be used to make pierogies, but I think if she gets into it, we will be eating a lot of fresh pasta. I know our son loves pasta, especially without tomato sauce. If we could make an alfredo sauce without using cream, I see that as a really possible hit in our house.

Thanks for the write up and idea.

 

[CraigC]

This is why I put the word "Authentic" in quotes.



European butters often have a higher fat content than American butter. That difference can be offset by adding a little more butter. The water cooks off and you're left with more fat...

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the few classic dishes that can be traced to a specific single point of origin. So one can have a higher degree of confidence that the original recipe is being followed.

I realize that and I believe I quoted the person I was directing my reply to.

 

[Andy M.]

I realize that and I believe I quoted the person I was directing my reply to.

My bad.

 

[taxlady]

Sounds really good Andy.

I am giving DW a pasta maker this Sunday for Mother's Day.

It was originally intended to be used to make pierogies, but I think if she gets into it, we will be eating a lot of fresh pasta. I know our son loves pasta, especially without tomato sauce. If we could make an alfredo sauce without using cream, I see that as a really possible hit in our house.

Thanks for the write up and idea.

Oh dear. Appliances for Mother's Day, etc. might not be appreciated.

 

[buckytom]

It's not exactly a vacuum cleaner or washing machine.


My wife has really gotten into cooking lately, and after getting a lesson from my neighbor on how to make pierogies like her mother made, I know she will love it.

Besides the flowers, a card, and dinner wherever she wants to go fills out the gift, so no worries, taxy.


Getting back to the thread, Andy, what kind of pasta maker do you have?

 

[Andy M.]

I think it's an Imperial (not an Imperia). It looks like this only it's red. In addition to rolling the pasta sheets, it cuts fettuccine and a much thinner version that could sub for spaghetti.

 

[Stock Pot]

I'm going to have to give fresh pasta another try. I tried it years ago (fettuccine) and didn't like it as much as dried. But I do love Ravioli and that's made with fresh pasta. Our local supermarket has it all made and rolled out so I am thinking of trying that and making my own ravioli filling.

 

[dragnlaw]

Stockpot - I'm thinking that you are going to be one happy Ravioli maker - the filling combo's are amazing not to mention numerous!

Sagittarius - Well said! My belief's precisely!

 

[di reston]

It's called 'Imperia', after the city of Imperia, on the Italian Riviera, where it was originally, and probably, still is.

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

 

[di reston]

Should've put 'made' at the end of the sentence!


di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

 

[HeidiCooksSupper]

Never underestimate the power of good pasta water! I always try to dip a cup measure into the pot to rescue some pasta water before draining. This is great stuff for finishing almost any pasta sauce!