Thebeloved Italian-American pasta dish has a glamorous history.
Creamy, decadent fettucine alfredo is a staple at many Italian restaurants here in the U.S., and with good reason—it’s just plain delicious. It’s also a dish that many Italians will be quick to tell you isn’t authentically Italian. But while fettucine alfredo is a distinctly American creation, its history is much more glamorous than you might think, and it does have its roots in Rome.
Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and the PickfairEstate
The story goes back to the early days of Hollywood, when the movie industry exploded with the silent films of the 1910s and ’20s. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were the era’s first celebrity couple, known as the “King of Hollywood” and “America’s Sweetheart,” and they both commanded record-breaking salaries. When the two actors got married at the height of their fame in 1920, it was international news, and fans caused riots outside their hotels as they honeymooned in London and Paris. Back in California, their palatial home, called “Pickfair” (the first celebrity couple name!), was the place for all of Hollywood’s most powerful people to dine and network.
Chef Alfredo Di Lelio with his signature pasta
It was at Pickfair that fettucine alfredo made its American debut. On their European honeymoon, Pickford and Fairbanks had dined at a trattoria in Rome owned by the charismatic chef Alfredo Di Lelio, and he served them his signature pasta, fettucine al triplo burro. It was his take on a simple meal that Italians have made for kids and the unwell for generations—pasta tossed with butter, parmigiano reggiano, and a little pasta water to make a smooth sauce—that he had created to please his wife when she was pregnant and unable to tolerate most food. The extra butter in his version, initially added to keep his wife from losing weight during pregnancy, made the dish deliciously decadent. The meal captivated the American stars, who asked Alfredo to share his recipe.
Back home, Fairbanks and Pickford were eager to share a taste of their European travels with their Hollywood pals. The only problem? The trick of emulsifying the cheese and butter with hot pasta water was foreign to the American couple and their chefs, and they found it difficult to achieve the trademark creamy sauce without adding, well, cream (try Giada's Fettuccine Alfredo here!). Their “fettucine Alfredo” was an immediate sensation, and to show their appreciation, they sent Chef Alfredo a golden fork and spoon engraved “to Alfredo, the king of noodles.”
To experience the original Roman dish, tryGiada's Fettuccine al Burro recipe!
FAQs
Chef Alfredo Di Lelio with his signature pasta
What is the origin story of fettuccine alfredo? ›
He cooked his first "fettuccine with triple butter" (Italian: fettuccine al triplo burro—later called "fettuccine all'Alfredo", and eventually "fettuccine Alfredo") in 1907 or 1908 in an effort to entice his convalescent wife, Ines, to eat after giving birth to their first child Armando.
Why is fettuccine alfredo not popular in Italy? ›
Moreover, Italians are not thrilled that this recipe is so strongly associated with Italy, as it is not a traditional dish and there are recipes much more authentic, more representative and more identifying of the Bel Paese. Indeed, no real Italian restaurant has this pasta on the menu.
Where is the birthplace of fettuccine alfredo? ›
Alfredo alla Scrofa is an Italian restaurant in Rome, Italy, which opened in 1914 and is known as the birthplace of fettuccine Alfredo.
Who is the inventor of fettuccine alfredo? ›
Alfredo di Lelio, an Italian restaurateur, created Fettuccine Alfredo in 1908. After his wife had given birth to their first son that year, she did not have an appetite. To help encourage her to eat, he created a dish of noodles, cheese and butter.
What is a interesting fact about fettuccine Alfredo? ›
In 1920, Alfredo Di Lelio sat with the problem of a pregnant wife who refused to eat. He decided to make her the simplest plate of pasta he could think of. And just like that, he made Fettuccine Alfredo. This all happened in the exact spot where the restaurant Alfredo alla Scrofa stands today.
How did fettuccine Alfredo become famous in America? ›
Chef Alfredo Di Lelio with his signature pasta
It was at Pickfair that fettucine alfredo made its American debut. On their European honeymoon, Pickford and Fairbanks had dined at a trattoria in Rome owned by the charismatic chef Alfredo Di Lelio, and he served them his signature pasta, fettucine al triplo burro.
Do real Italians use alfredo sauce? ›
Fettuccine Alfredo, it turns out, is 100% Italian. To be fair, the original recipe is quite different from whatever you may find in the States. Italians have been eating Fettuccine Alfredo for over a century…
What do Italians eat instead of Alfredo? ›
What we call alfredo sauce here in the US doesn't exist in Italy. Its closest cousin is similar to di Lelio's invention: a sauce known in Italy as “al burro” (with butter) — pasta served with melted butter that's sometimes infused with fresh sage, as well as grated Parmigiano.
What does Alfredo mean in Italian? ›
Origin:Italian. Meaning:Elf counselor. Alfredo is a masculine name of Italian and Spanish origins. Coming from the Old English name Alfred, it translates to “elf counselor” and is a wonderful choice to connect baby with their mythical spirit.
A typical portion of this decadent dish has 1200 calories, 75 grams of fat, 47 grams of saturated fat and gives you more than half a day's worth of sodium. Yikes! Looking at a recipe, it's not hard to figure out why. The star ingredients are buckets of heavy cream, butter, cheese and mountains of pasta.
What is the difference between Alfredo and Carbonara? ›
Cooking process: Thick, creamy Alfredo sauce involves cooking down butter and heavy cream in a sauté pan or saucepan to make a thick, rich cream sauce. On the other hand, carbonara involves combining pasta and a bit of pasta water with rendered guanciale, raw eggs, and grated cheese.
Who is the king of fettuccine? ›
Alfredo di Lelio, inventor of the fettuccine that bears his name, was born in Rome in 1883 and got his start at the family restaurant in Piazza Rosa, which later vanished to make room for the shopping arcade now known as Galleria Sordi.
How has fettuccine Alfredo changed over time? ›
Over time, the recipe changed like most things. The most popular addition was that of thickeners other than that touch of pasta water. For example, in most cases, heavy cream and sometimes, even flour. As you can imagine, this already very cheesy and creamy sauce became even creamier, even thicker, and even heavier.
Who brought pasta to America? ›
While pasta was introduced by the Spanish and English, Thomas Jefferson enjoyed pasta so much that he brought cases home to America. As Italian immigrants came to America and brought pasta recipes with them, America soon increased its pasta making and today is second behind Italy in pasta production.
What is fettuccine Alfredo based on? ›
In his book The Discovery of Pasta: A History in Ten Dishes, writer Luca Cesari traces the dish back to 1908, when Alfredo di Lelio—a restaurateur in Rome—made a simple fresh pasta with butter and parmesan cheese for his wife, Ines, who was struggling to recover after childbirth.
What is the history of the name Alfredo? ›
Alfredo is a masculine name of Italian and Spanish origins. Coming from the Old English name Alfred, it translates to “elf counselor” and is a wonderful choice to connect baby with their mythical spirit.
Who named fettuccine? ›
invented the recipe in his Trattoria in Rome in 1908. His family continues to serve the popular dish in.
When was Alfredo di Lelio born? ›
Alfredo di Lelio, inventor of the fettuccine that bears his name, was born in Rome in 1883 and got his start at the family restaurant in Piazza Rosa, which later vanished to make room for the shopping arcade now known as Galleria Sordi.
