This easy, cheesy pasta recipe is a tried-and-true Italian classic.
For National Fettuccine Alfredo Day, "Good Morning America" went straight to the source for how to make the traditional Italian dish.
In 1914, Alfredo di Lelio first made what was known as pasta in bianco -- housemade fettuccine tossed with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano -- and he later added it to his menu at Alfredo all Scrofa.
Despite popular belief in America that the recipe would include heavy cream, that ingredient is not in the original recipe. Instead, the key ingredient, Parmigiano-Reggiano, becomes perfectly creamy once emulsified with starchy pasta water and butter.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
23 ounces or 660 grams of fresh fettuccine pasta
4 ounces or 120 grams butter, cut
7.5 ounces or 220 grams of 24-month Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated and sifted
Directions
Finely grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano and sieve into a bowl, using a fine net sieve and put aside.
Cut and place the butter onto a large serving plate.
Bring water seasoned with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil to a boil in a large saucepan.
Add the fresh fettuccine, stirring gently at first to separate the strands and boil for 3 to 5 minutes until the pasta starts to float to the top.
Place the fettuccine onto the serving plate with butter, use a small amount of pasta water to help melt the butter.
Cover the pasta with the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano and wave and swirl the pasta to incorporate the butter and the cheese until a thick sauce is formed.
Check out a full video of the process below from Alfredo alla Scrofa Restaurant in Rome. And if you're using store-bought or already made fresh pasta dough, skip to 3:16 to watch it all come together.