Nana’s Fettuccine Alfredo

My grandmother’s parents were born in the lush, green mountains of Southern Italy, in the vicinity of Naples. Olive trees and vineyards abound. By some crazy twist of fate, I live in Northern California which is also covered with olive trees and vineyards, so I am constantly reminded of my ancestors’ home. Do you ever wonder about all the twists and turns over the many generations that landed you where you are right now?

It is certainly food for thought. I try not to live in the past, yet I can’t help but be intrigued and fascinated with the seemingly mysterious lives of my Italian ancestors. As a foodie and travel nut, my interests always seem to turn to what they were eating and where the food came from.

My grandmother had a homemade scrapbook of her favorite recipes. She left her hometown of Boston, moved out to California as a young woman and began her lifelong career as a homemaker. Because she wanted to personify the perfect American housewife, she left her Italian side in Boston where she grew up. Most of the recipes in her collection were Betty Crocker type dishes like meatloaf and Jello salad.

Nana’s recipe book

But I have this cherished Italian recipe from her collection; Nana’s Fettuccine Alfredo. The weird part is that this dish is made with cream and butter, which are usually ingredients found in Northern Italian dishes and her family was from the South of Italy. Well, just like most family histories, many of the details are shrouded in mystery and unanswered questions. For now, here is Nana’s Fettuccine Alfredo recipe. It is classic, and, oh so rich and creamy.