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Fettuccine al burro (original Alfredo)
Fettuccine with butter and Parmesan
Fettuccine al burro: Rome's three-ingredient butter and parmesan pasta
Long before cream-heavy versions spread abroad, Roman cooks made fettuccine al burro with nothing but fresh egg ribbons, sweet butter and young Parmigiano, beaten together into a soft, pale sauce. A restaurateur on Via della Scrofa made it famous in the early twentieth century by tossing it at the table for visitors, and in Roman homes it is still the dish for a child home from school or anyone feeling under the weather. The result is mild, silky and nutty with cheese. Chef's tip: soften the butter to room temperature and grate the cheese like snow; cold butter and coarse cheese will not melt into a cream in the short tossing time.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 9 oz fresh egg fettuccineor 200 g dried egg fettuccine
- 2 tsp saltfor the pasta water
- 2 ½ oz unsalted buttersoftened, cut into pieces
- 2 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggianovery finely grated; usually made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer
- ¼ tsp black pepper (optional)freshly ground
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 3 litres of water to the boil in a large pot and add 2 tsp salt.
8 minStep 2: Put 2 ½ oz unsalted butter in a large warmed serving bowl (warm it with a ladle of the hot water, then tip the water out).
Step 3: Cook 9 oz fresh egg fettuccine until tender but still springy: about 2–3 minutes for fresh, or as the packet says for dried. Keep a mugful of the starchy water.
3 minStep 4: Lift the pasta into the bowl with tongs, letting some water cling to it. Toss until the butter has melted and coated every ribbon.
Step 5: Scatter in 2 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano a handful at a time, tossing and lifting the pasta and adding splashes of the cooking water, until the butter and cheese turn into a smooth, pale cream. Common mistake: dumping all the cheese in at once, which clumps into a ball instead of melting.
2 minStep 6: Serve on warm plates straight away, with a little ¼ tsp black pepper if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fettuccine al burro (original Alfredo) take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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