Fettucini Alfredo

zxcvbob said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta?

Dried pasta will weigh almost three times as much, once cooked. So, for
three pounds of cooked pasta, I'd use 1.5-2 pounds each of parmesan and
butter. Yes, *that* much - that's what makes it 'Alfredo'.

Quoted message said:

Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

The classic recipe includes nothing but fettuccine (fresh, not dried),
parmesan and butter.

Quoted message said:

Will it work with linguine, or is there something magic about fettucini?

It will certainly work just as well with linguine (or tagliatelle),
since they are very similar to fettuccine. Other pasta shapes will
work, too.

Victor

Victor Sack said:

zxcvbob said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta?

Dried pasta will weigh almost three times as much, once cooked. So, for
three pounds of cooked pasta, I'd use 1.5-2 pounds each of parmesan and
butter. Yes, *that* much - that's what makes it 'Alfredo'.

Quoted message said:

Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

The classic recipe includes nothing but fettuccine (fresh, not dried),
parmesan and butter.

Quoted message said:

Will it work with linguine, or is there something magic about fettucini?

It will certainly work just as well with linguine (or tagliatelle),
since they are very similar to fettuccine. Other pasta shapes will
work, too.

Victor

The original Alfredo was done with fresh made fettuccine. If you use
industrial made pasta it is not the same. Closest thing is Italian egg
noodles.
Pietro

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta? Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

<snip>

You are an evil, evil person! ;-)

Charlie

zxcvbob said:

Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble

everything?)

Quoted message said:

Depends on what you want. I put all three in mine (garlic, parsley and
pepper).
-L.

Charles Gifford said:

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta? Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

<snip>

You are an evil, evil person! ;-)

Charlie

Yes I am. But I really wasn't trying to start a brawl this time; I was
trying to find out how to make a classic dish when the 'Net is flooded
with bogus recipes. (but if a brawl starts inadvertantly, so much the
better ;-)

After seeing Victor's recipe, I understand why it's usually cut with
milk, cream cheese, etc. -- the ingredients are too expensive to serve
the stuff at budget restaurants, then people think the cheap version is
correct because that's the only thing they've been exposed to. (The
only thing wrong with this is that the bastardized version uses the
classic name. If Olive Garden called it "Fettuccini with Creamy
Parmasan Sauce" there would be no problem.)

Bob

"Victor Sack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

zxcvbob said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta?

Dried pasta will weigh almost three times as much, once cooked. So, for
three pounds of cooked pasta, I'd use 1.5-2 pounds each of parmesan and
butter. Yes, *that* much - that's what makes it 'Alfredo'.

Quoted message said:

Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

The classic recipe includes nothing but fettuccine (fresh, not dried),
parmesan and butter.

Quoted message said:

Will it work with linguine, or is there something magic about fettucini?

It will certainly work just as well with linguine (or tagliatelle),
since they are very similar to fettuccine. Other pasta shapes will
work, too.

Victor

IMHO I think there is a magic to the fettuccini and it has to do with the
width of the noodle/pasta. The combination of the butter the cheese and the
pasta water make a wonderful creamy sauce when properly prepared. I believe
the surface area of the noodle enhances the amount of the sauce that is
carried by the pasta creating a particular mouth feel and flavor
combination. I don't think this was by design but an accident in the
creation process. I also think that is why this has become a classic that
has survived for decades.

Dimitri

Charles Gifford said:

"Victor Sack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The classic recipe includes nothing but fettuccine (fresh, not dried),
parmesan and butter.

Incorrect! It also includes pasta water, as needed.

You mean you can't just warm it in your hands instead?

Bubba Vic

"Victor Sack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Charles Gifford said:

"Victor Sack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The classic recipe includes nothing but fettuccine (fresh, not dried),
parmesan and butter.

Incorrect! It also includes pasta water, as needed.

You mean you can't just warm it in your hands instead?

Bubba Vic

No, no! You can do that too! Or just clutch it to your breast while chanting
"Alfie, Alfie, Alfie!"

Cousin Charliam

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Charles Gifford said:

"zxcvbob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

You are an evil, evil person! ;-)

Charlie

Yes I am. But I really wasn't trying to start a brawl this time; I was
trying to find out how to make a classic dish when the 'Net is flooded
with bogus recipes. (but if a brawl starts inadvertantly, so much the
better ;-)

Heh, heh! I think we are past virtuous outrage now and into humor. The
barbarians are now too numerous to overcome! <grin>

Quoted message said:

After seeing Victor's recipe, I understand why it's usually cut with
milk, cream cheese, etc. -- the ingredients are too expensive to serve
the stuff at budget restaurants, then people think the cheap version is
correct because that's the only thing they've been exposed to. (The
only thing wrong with this is that the bastardized version uses the
classic name. If Olive Garden called it "Fettuccini with Creamy
Parmasan Sauce" there would be no problem.)

Bob

Also, high butterfat butter is hard to come by in the U.S. Some may feel
that augmenting the fat content in another way is a good solution. Other
than that, you may be right. I saw a TV advertisement for Olive Garden
recently that announced their new "Chicken Alfredo" dish.

Charlie, standing up for Truth and Beauty

-L. said:

zxcvbob said:

Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do
you wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble

everything?)

Quoted message said:

Depends on what you want. I put all three in mine (garlic, parsley

and

Quoted message said:

pepper).
-L.

This looks like a good place to re-post this:

Doris Muscatine, in her book: A Cooks Tour of Rome (Charles Scribner's
Sons;
New York, 1964) devotes three and one half pages to Fettuccine
All'Alfredo,
that most famous of Roman dishes. The original recipe has always been a

secret but she does give what may be the definitive published version.
It is as follows:

1 lb. fresh egg fettucine
4 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese, plus more cheese to sprinkle on
1/4 lb. butter
1/2 pt. whipping cream

Boil pasta in salted water until they rise to the surface and quickly
remove and drain. Place on a pre-heated platter on top of a large scoop
of the following butter mixture.

This is pre-prepared before cooking the pasta.

Melt the butter, add the 4 handfuls cheese, and the cream, slightly
whipped,
and beat together. Add the rest in lumps as you toss the fettuccine
rapidly.
Add large sprinkles of cheese as you mix.

My father ate at the original Alfredo in the Via della Scrofa in 1931.
He
reminisced about that meal many times. I think I recall him mentioning
that just before tossing the waiter would scrape a little fresh nutmeg
on to the
platter.

D.M.

"zxcvbob" wrote

Quoted message said:

What is the proportions of Parmesan cheese and butter per pound of dried
pasta? Are there any other ingredients (like pepper or parsley, or do you
wipe a cut garlic clove in the bowl before you assemble everything?)

Every recipe I turn up using google has milk, cream, ricotta or cream
cheese, etc. in it. I know you guys know how to make it because we argue
about it here often enough.

I don't want a white sauce to pour over the noodles; the only deviation I
want to make from the classic recipe (which I can't find) is I'll probably
use a little whipping cream instead of pasta cooking water *if* it needs
thinning.

Will it work with linguine, or is there something magic about fettucini?

I'm going to use plain old USA butter and freshly grated Wisconsin
parmesan cheese. Thanks.

Best regards,
Bob

Bob,

I use the following recipe as a starting point. It's from
http://www.epicurious.com/services/sitemap/
I use regular dried noodles, not egg. Reviews at the site suggested that
egg noodles were too blah. I like to add steamed asparagus (1-inch pieces),
chopped fresh tomatoes, etc.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

In Rome, this pasta would be served as a first course, but we prefer it as a
main course. Traditionally, Romans don't use heavy cream in this dish, so
you won't find any here either.
Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
12 oz dried egg fettuccine
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Melt butter in a heatproof serving bowl in middle of oven, about 5 minutes.

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al
dente.

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain fettuccine in a colander.
Immediately toss fettuccine with butter and salt in bowl, then slowly add
3/4 cup cheese, tossing constantly and adding enough of cooking water to
keep pasta moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle with
remaining cheese.

Makes 4 main-course servings.
Gourmet
March 2003