Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo (Italian: [fettut'tʃiːne alˈfreːdo]) or fettuccine al burro ("fettuccine with butter") is an Italian pasta dish of fresh fettuccine tossed with butter and Parmesan (Italian: pasta al burro e parmigiano). As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich cheese sauce coating the pasta. The dish is named after Alfredo Di Lelio, who featured the dish at his restaurant in Rome in the early to mid-20th century; the "ceremony" of preparing it tableside was an integral part of the dish.

The dish became widespread and eventually spread to the United States, where it remains popular. The recipe has changed, and its commercialized version—with heavy cream and other ingredients—is now ubiquitous. In the U.S., it is often served as a main course, sometimes garnished with chicken or other ingredients. In Italy, meanwhile, fettuccine al burro is generally considered home cooking, and fettuccine Alfredo is widely scoffed at by Italian writers.