The dish we know as Fettucine Alfredo here in the US evolved from a creamless recipe in Rome. The eponymous Alfredo di Lelio modified the traditional “fettuccine al burro,” which featured a sauce of Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter, to include even more butter, dubbing it “fettuccine al triplo burro.” When he eventually had his own restaurant near Piazza Navona (Alfredo alla Scrofa, at Via della Scrofa 104, Roma), patrons began to refer to this dish as Fettuccine all’Alfredo. By the way, we have been to the famous restaurant and did not think their current Alfredo was very good at all. Somewhere someone introduced cream to the ingredient list, and I am not complaining. As noted on the Ingredients page, I get my Parmigiano-Reggiano directly from a dairy in Italy, but the heavy cream I get from a local dairy with grass-fed cows; however, I don't think the quality of the cream makes too much of a difference in this particular recipe, so don't worry about it.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make—and so good we double for leftovers. Tailoring to my preferences, I have reduced slightly the amount of heavy cream and increased the Parmigiano; however, my daughter insists the original amounts are superior, so I’ve included those as well.
1 lb fettuccine (packaged De Cecco or homemade) or other pasta of your liking
3/4 cup heavy cream (original recipe was 1 cup)
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (original recipe was 2/3 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Half a nutmeg, grated finely (Freshly grated nutmeg makes all the difference!)
1. Put roughly two-thirds of the heavy cream and all of the butter in a pot (e.g., an enamel-covered cast-iron one). Simmer until thickened. Turn off heat.
2. In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions on the package (macaroni) or in the recipe (homemade). Drain.
3. Transfer pasta to the pan with the sauce. Mix over low heat.
4. Add the remaining third of cream and the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cheese. Toss until sauce has thickened. If it seems a little dry, add a little more cream.
5. Serve immediately, optionally with extra cheese and grated nutmeg on the side.