WHAT IS FETTUCCINE?
Long before some guy name Alfred smuggled as much dairy as humanly possible (butter, cheese and sometimes cream) into a creamy Alfredo dish, fettuccine has been a hit. Meaning “little ribbons”, the name is misleading in that this pasta cut is wider than linguine (who in turn is wider then spaghetti). This cut is frequently used in place of those two. However unlike them fettuccini is typically made with eggs.
WHERE IS FETTUCCINE MADE?
It is traditionally associated with Tuscan and Roman cuisine. Rome is both the capital, and the dividing line between northern and southern Italian culture. Rome’s (the empire) aggressive colonial history in ancient times also meant that it was exposed to new and different culinary techniques. During the Renaissance (or up to the 1600s) Rome was considered a pinnacle of high cuisine. Still to this day classic Roman dishes like cacio e peppe and carbonara are found in restaurants throughout the world.
FETTUCCINE ALFEDO IMMIGRATED TO THE STATES LONG AGO!
The most famous recipe using this sauce is Fettuccine Alfredo (aka “al burro” in Italy). It was created by a Chef Alfredo di Lelio for his pregnant wife. She liked it so much that he named the recipe after himself and started serving it in his restaurant. A few years later two famous American movie stars dined at his restaurant while honeymooning in Rome. And they fell in love with the dish! The restaurant became famous with various movie stars always stopping by when passing through Rome. Italian American restaurants started putting it on their menus. But while this recipe grew in popularity in the States, it was never that popular back home. This is why today Fettuccine Alfredo, while relatively unknown in Italy, is an Italian-American classic. To read more about it click here!
WHAT SAUCES GO WELL WITH THIS PASTA?
Italians tend to be strict about what is appropriate to use with which cuts. So when in doubt, play it safe. In general the wider the long noodle, the thicker the sauce needs to be. Flat pastas like fettuccine for example pair better with cream or meat sauces. If you’d like to see one of our recipes using fettuccine check out Grana Padano sauce.
