The REAL Alfredo

Name: The REAL Alfredo
Total time: 900 s
Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pot large enough to hold about 2 gallons; 1 slotted spoon or fryer spider, or 1 pair of tongs (if using long ribbon pasta); 1 lb pasta (long ribbons or short tubes); 2 oz kosher salt; 1 gal water; 1 large baking dish or bowl made of glass or stoneware; Whisk; 1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced; 2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, FINELY shredded. The fresher, the better

Brady Davis @cook_4430907

This recipe dates back to 1908, when Roman restaurateur Alfredo di Lelio created it to help his wife, Ines, recover after childbirth. While versions of pasta with butter existed previously, Chef Alfredo made this specific preparation famous. It became a global sensation after American stars brought the recipe home, and for decades, Alfredo's restaurant was a mandatory stop for icons like Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and John F. Kennedy.

The authentic version relies on technique and skill to create a natural emulsion, whereas cream is often used as a shortcut that can mask the delicate flavors of the cheese. For this recipe, you only need four ingredients plus water.

Because the list is so short, quality is vital. Use a pasta shape that holds sauce well, like long ribbons or short tubes. If you use gluten-free or high-protein pasta, just be mindful that they may release less starch, so you'll want to be careful with your water addition to ensure the sauce thickens properly. Use high-quality UNsalted butter and authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. Avoid "Parmesan" in green plastic jars, as it contains additives that won't melt correctly. To pull it off, you’ll need just a few supplies and utensils, and of course your oven and stove.

Brady Davis @cook_4430907

Saved

Ingredients

<15 minutes

4 - 6 servings

For the Pasta
1pot large enough to hold about 2 gallons
1slotted spoon or fryer spider, or 1 pair of tongs (if using long ribbon pasta)
1 lbpasta (long ribbons or short tubes)
2 ozkosher salt
1 galwater
For the Sauce
1large baking dish or bowl made of glass or stoneware
Whisk
1/4 cup (1 stick)unsalted butter, diced
2 cupsParmigiano Reggiano, FINELY shredded. The fresher, the better

Saved

Steps

<15 minutes

1

Turn your oven to the lowest setting. You only need the baking dish warm enough to melt the butter later.
2

Fill your large pot with the 1 gallon of water and bring it to a full boil. Add the 2 oz kosher salt.
3

Add the pasta and cook it until it’s al dente. You want it firm enough that it won’t fall apart when you mix everything together.
4

Take the warmed baking dish out of the oven. Add half of the diced butter to the dish and let the heat begin to melt it.
5

Add 1.5 cups of Parmigiano Reggiano to the melting butter. Mix until it forms a thick, paste‑like mixture. It won’t look like a sauce yet, and that's ok. You still need the next steps, to make it a sauce. You can add more cheese as needed, or add it to your plated dish, when you serve it.
6

Use a slotted spoon, spider, or tongs to transfer the pasta straight from the boiling water into the butter‑cheese mixture. Don’t use a strainer/collander for it, you want a little pasta water still on the pasta when ou add it to the sauce. And make sure you don't empty out your pot of hot pasta water.
7

Add the rest of the butter and small spoonfuls of hot pasta water, as needed, until the cheese melts and the mixture loosens into a smooth sauce that coats the pasta evenly. This is the secret to good Italian pasta sauces. It's the salt and starch in the pasta water, that help emulsify the sauce.
8

When all the butter has melted, if the sauce feels too tight with the pasta, add a little more hot pasta water. If it feels too loose, keep tossing for a few more seconds until it tightens up.
9

Serve immediately while it’s hot. Buon appetito!