FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

 Given the love story that inspired the dish, Fettuccine Alfredo is a popular dish on Valentine's Day. This simple dish was  made originally with only three ingredients -- fresh butter, grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese, and plain  fettuccine pasta.

Fettuccine means  "little ribbons in Italian. It is made from Semolina flour & egg yolks, rolled & cut out in wide, thick strips. Sometimes, other ingredients, e.g. spinach, mushrooms, garlic and/or other spices/herbs may be added to the dough before it's rolled out.

This popular dish was created out of necessity by Chef Alfredo Di Lelio in 1908. His wife Ines was very weak and had little appetite after giving birth to their first child, Armando, on February 27, 1908.

 "Alfredo strove to come up with a food that would be nourishing yet easy to digest, to help get his wife back on her feet." It worked, and she loved it. She suggested he add it to the menu at his mother's  Roman Piazza Rosa trattoria, "a small restaurant that serves simple foods" where he worked.

In 1914, DiLelio opened his own restaurant Alfredo all'Augusteo in central Rome. Of course, Fettuccine all'Alfredo was on the menu. Instead of being prepared in the kitchen, DiLilio prepared the dish table side with theatrical flair.

American superstar actors Mary Pickford, "America's Sweetheart," and Douglas Fairbanks, the "King of Hollywood," dined at the restaurant while on their honeymoon in 1920. They returned in 1927, "bearing an unexpected gift with enormous publicity potential: a gold fork and spoon engraved with the dedication 'To Alfredo the King of the noodles'."

They and other celebrities raved about this wonderful new dish. Sinclair Lewis mentioned it in his 1922 novel Babbitt. "At one point in the story, the protagonist meets an upper-class American lady who confesses her infatuation with Rome. But the object of her affection is not the city’s paintings, music or antiquities: rather, it’s the 'little trattoria on the Via della Scrofa where you get the best fettuccine in the world'."

"In 1927, the restaurant was reviewed in the Saturday Evening Post by George Rector—a food expert, prolific essayist and host of a CBS radio show." He called Di Lelio a "Maestro" as he prepared the dish table side.

Di Lelio sold the restaurant to two of its waiters in 1943, in part due to the rationing of eggs and cheese during World War II. As with pizza, returning American GIs sought the dish in Italian restaurants.

In 1950, Di Lelio decided to open a new restaurant with his son Armando. it was named "II Vero Alfredo" or "Alfredo Di Roma" on the Piazza Augusto Imperatore.

Today, his grandson Ines Di Lelio operates the restaurant in the same location. "'Il Vero Alfredo - Alfredo Di Romeo is in the registry of  'Historic Shops of Excellence' of the City of Rome Capitale." Its walls are lined with photos of all the famous people who have eaten there. Mementos include the gold fork & spoon given to Alfredo by the Fairbanks in 1927.

Many consider this restaurant a "must do" for travelers to Rome. Reservations are very highly recommended. Reviews on Trip Advisor show an average of 3.5 stars. The vast majority of reviews had 4 & 5 stars. Most critical reviews cite slow or rude service; only a few complained about the food quality.

Since its creation, a recipe for  Fettuccine Alfredo "turns up in over 800 American cookbooks published from 1933 to  the present." The dish became ubiquitous in the Sixties in American restaurants. However, most use an Americanized version of the recipe that adds heavy cream. Additional ingredients often seen are chicken, seafood, 
mushrooms,  tomatoes, garlic &/or  herbs. Rare is the USA cookbook or restaurant that offers the simplicity of the original dish.

Mark your online calendar for 2026 and beyond. Every February 7th is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day. Today, Feb. 9, 2025, is National Pizza Day and Superbowl Sunday in the USA. Perhaps a Spinach, with or without Chicken, Alfredo Pizza would satisfy the appetites of your Superbowl fans. Both Domino's and Papa John's offer them; so do some local pizza restaurants.  Enjoy your meal or Buon Apetito.

Sources: https://www.blindmulerestaurant.com/events/27-national-fettuccine-alfredo#:~:text=Alfredo%20di%20Lelio%2C%20ana%20Italian,of%20noodles%2C%20cheese%20and%20butter.
Viewed February 7, 2025

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fettuccine_Alfredo
Viewed February 7, 2025

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187791-d9459333-Reviews-Piazza_Augusto_Imperatore-Rome_Lazio.html
Viewed February 8 & 9, 2025

https://lithub.com/the-invention-of-fettuccine-alfredo-a-love-story/
Viewed February 8, 2025