Photo: Robert Banh/Flickr
February 7th is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day.
The Backstory
We’re heading to Rome for this one, then to Hollywood. Here’s the scoop.
A restauranteur named Alfredo de Lelio created this dish around 1914 as a variation on the traditional dish fettuccine al burro (with butter). The double, and sometimes triple, addition of butter with the pasta and parmigiano was apparently easier for his pregnant wife to keep down.
De Lelio began serving the new dish at his Ristorante Alfredo on Via della Scrofa, near Piazza Navona in Rome. In swish Hollywood starlets Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks on honeymoon to Rome in 1927. They tasted fettuccine Alfredo, loved it, dubbed de Lelio the “king of fettuccine” and returned to Hollywood spreading word of this delicious Roman primo. It sky-rocketed in popularity. So did Alfredo.
Always served with butter and parmesan cheese, and often gussied up with broccoli, shrimp, chicken and just about anything else, fettuccine Alfredo is an American dinner staple (it’s virtually unheard of in Italy). ‘About as American, in fact, as apple pie. But with Roman roots.
Where’s your favorite fettuccine Alfredo served? How do YOU make it? Buon Appetito!
I’ve never actually made it myself, but I always thought it had cream in it. Of course, that might just be the result of our classic American approach to incorporating ethnic foods into our mix….”let’s just add a bunch of extra fat to it”.
Sue – this is one of my favorites – cheers – Mike
HISTORY OF FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO AND ITS CREATOR
We are the grandchildren of Alfredo Di Lelio (Alfredo and Ines Di Lelio). The story is this. Alfredo di Lelio opened the restaurant “Alfredo” in Rome nel 1914, after leaving his first restaurant run by his mother Angelina Rose Square (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). In this local fame spread, first to Rome and then in the world of “fettuccine all’Alfredo”. In 1943, during the war, Di Lelio gave the local to his collaborators.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando (Alfredo II) his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo”, which is now managed by his nephews Alfredo (same name of grandfather) and Ines (the same name of his grandmother, wife of Alfredo Di Lelio, who were dedicated to the noodles).
In conclusion, the local Piazza Augusto Imperatore is following the family tradition of Alfredo Di Lelio and his notes noodles (see also the site of “Il Vero Alfredo” info@alfredo-roma.it)
Desideriamo ringraziarvi per la foto pubblicata di nostro nonno Alfredo davanti al ristorante che fu aperto da lui nel 1914 (conserviamo il contratto di affitto) e che poi lui lasciò nel 1943 per riaprire con mio padre Armando nel 1950 il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” in Piazza Augusto Imperatore. Saluti, Alfredo ed Ines Di Lelio
Thank you for the photo of our Grandfather Alfredo published at the restaurant opened in Rome in 1914 (jealously preserve the lease contract) and then left in 1943 to reopen in 1950 with my father Armando his restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” in Piazza Augusto Imperatore. Best regards Alfredo e Ines Di Lelio
Conozco y frecuento el “Alfredo” en Piazza Augusto Imperatore desde que nací en 1950 en Venezuela. Mis abuelos, mi madre y yo siempre que vamos a Roma hemos acudido allí a degustar los más deliciosos fettucinis a su manera. Gracias por el placer de poder degustarlos siempre. Saluti a Alfredo e Inés Di Lelio.