While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter carefully, preferably using a double boiler top. Whisk together the heavy cream and half of the grated Parmesan cheese to create a sauce. Quickly drain the fettuccine to prevent over drying. In a bowl, toss the hot pasta and egg yolk with the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and/or black pepper.
Alfredo sauce is a rich and creamy sauce originating from Italian cuisine, known for its indulgent flavor and luxurious texture.
The history of Alfredo sauce can be traced back to Rome, Italy, where it was created by Alfredo di Lelio, a restaurateur, in the early 20th century. Di Lelio developed the sauce as a variation of the traditional pasta dish called “fettuccine al burro,” which consisted of fettuccine pasta tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese. He enhanced the dish by adding extra butter, creating “fettuccine al triplo burro.”
The popularity of Alfredo sauce grew significantly, first in Rome and then in other countries, becoming an iconic dish in Italian-American cuisine. However, the original recipe has undergone changes, incorporating heavy cream and additional ingredients.
Alfredo sauce pairs exceptionally well with pasta dishes featuring a smooth and wide surface, perfect for capturing and holding the creamy sauce. The classic pairing is with fettuccine pasta, known for its wide and flat shape that allows the sauce to cling to the noodles. Other pasta varieties like linguine, tagliatelle, and pappardelle also complement Alfredo sauce beautifully. Their texture and width provide an ideal foundation for the rich and velvety sauce to coat each strand.