If someone who calls herself the ‘pasta queen’ told you that your pasta methods were all wrong , how would you react?
I’d probably ask, “…pasta…queen?” and continue making my pasta incorrectly .
Others, though, would probably take notice of the queen of all pasta telling them off.
This drama centers around fettucine alfredo.
This is one of those classic Italian dishes that, over time, has moved further and further away from what it used to be. In fact, many believe it belongs in the category of Italian food that isn’t really Italian food.
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The Pasta Queen has some thoughts.
First, we need a quick explainer on the Pasta Queen. Her real name is Nadia Caterino, and you can find her on Instagram @the_pastaqueen .
She ascended to the pasta throne a few years back and now has a million loyal subjects on Instagram.
Fettucine alfredo is pretty simple, really.
In a recent post , Nadia gave us some excellent fettucine facts.
Unlike many, Nadia isn’t here to tell us that fettucine alfredo isn’t authentic Italian food. In fact, in its original incarnation, it couldn’t be more Italian.
The original Alfredo’s granddaughter is still making it.
Nadia explains that fettucine alfredo is still made the authentic way in Rome. In fact, the granddaughter of Alfredo himself gave Nadia the recipe for proper fettucine Alfredo, made just the way Alfredo intended.
It’s all very simple.
The video demonstrates Nadia’s process, but it isn’t hard to keep up with the proper method: start with fettucine, then add parmesan cheese, butter and pasta water.
“You want the creaminess of mac and cheese,” explained Nadia.
How does pasta water factor in?
This is arguably the secret ingredient. The key is using pasta water to loosen the cooked fettucine. Then, once the fettucine isn’t all stuck together, you can slowly add the other ingredients until they coat the noodles.
Does chicken belong in fettucine alfredo?
Nadia notes that some folks believe the authentic version of this dish is pasta only, but that isn’t actually the case. Still, even though it might not be authentic, it can still be added to fettucine alfredo — assuming, of course, the pasta and sauce are made the right way.
The Pasta Queen has spoken.
Fettucine alfredo has been interpreted and perhaps ruined in a million different ways, but Nadia the Pasta Queen’s argument is quite convincing. The dish is, in fact, an authentic Italian dish, one that’s still being made by the family that created it.
It’s fantastic comfort food.
While it might not be the fanciest Italian dish around, fettucine alfredo is still a tasty dish that can come off like a higher-end version of mac and cheese. It’s still enormously popular around the world.
Do you have a secret recipe?
There are many different ways to make this simple dish, so we want to hear about yours. Do you follow the Pasta Queen’s decree or do you do things your own way? Let us know in the comments.
Watch her video for the full demo.
