Don't kill the messenger.
If you were to go into a restaurant in Italy and asked for Fettuccine Alfredo, they would look at you sideways as if you had asked for a cappuccino at lunchtime. Only a handful of restaurants in Italy serve it and this is to cater to American tourists. So the question remains is it Italian or is it American?
Extremely Passionate About Food:
Americans have no idea just how passionate Europeans are about food. Countries like Spain, Italy, and Germany cherish their classic dishes like few others. Italians though may top the list. For them, items like chicken parmigiana, Italian dressing & Fettuccine Alfredo are about as Italian as not liking soccer. Oh, I mean futbol.
Fettuccine Alfredo is...:
Obviously pasta with butter and cheese has been around for centuries, but we are talking about this specific recipe. In reality Fettuccine Alfredo is an Italian creation. Now before people lose their minds, read on. What ISN’T Italian is the way Americans have changed it.
The website fettuccinealfredo.com explains the story that happened in 1914 in Rome, Italy. “Immediately after giving birth to one of his children, Alfredo Di Lelio’s wife fainted due to her weakness. Without a doubt, preparing a dish created for the occasion, something to give her strength back, but without weighing her down. The first plate of egg-Fettuccine is served, seasoned with butter and Parmesan in the right doses and properly stirred!”
https://fettuccinealfredo.com/a-love-story/?lang=en
What made the dish a world sensation was 2 huge Hollywood stars, Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks. In 1920 on their honeymoon, they fell in love with the creamy dish and soon brought it back to Hollywood friends. Famous people from around the world began to come and taste this amazing dish.
For better or for worse, American chefs started tweaking the recipe making the American version of it. Popular additions included cream, pieces of chicken, turkey, salmon, broccoli, and other vegetables, and even eggs.
Below is the video of Italian chef Guilio Peveri making the original Italian version. Simply made with fresh, quality ingredients is why Italian food is so amazing.
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