“Simplicity,” said Leonardo da Vinci, “is the ultimate sophistication,” and, with the possible exception of the Martini,  nowhere is that more the truth than with fettuccine all’Alfredo, for which we have an origins story, so we know exactly what goes into the dish. Which is: Fettuccine, butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. What? No cream? No  cream. No parsley? No parsley.

Elimination of these last two ingredients is not just preference, it is Italian culinary history, so here goes. Fettuccine all’Alfredo was created in 1914 by Alfredo Di Lelio, who had four years earlier opened a restaurant in Rome, Italy, under his first name on the Via della Scrofa. At the time Alfredo’s wife had given birth to their son Armando but was left without an appetite. Alfredo tried everything, until he made a plate of fresh fettuccine and swirled it in a pan with Parmigiano and butter.