Rigatoni Alfredo 

The original recipe, which was invented in Rome by a man named, of course, Alfredo, uses only pasta, butter, and Parmesan cheese. No milk, no cream, no garlic, no nutmeg, and no flour to thicken it all. This is one of my favorites. Great with a crusty loaf of French bread! Would also be tasty with shrimp or scallops instead of the chicken. You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your liking. The cooking time is for the rigatoni. 

Did you know that the number 1 dish of Italian restaurants in the America is a recipe that is entirely familiar to us? We're talking about Alfredo sauce, so popular in America that it almost seems to be a dish of Italo-American tradition! 

The recipe was invented in 1914 by Alfredo, the owner of a restaurant in via della Scrofa, Rome, with the aim of getting his wife's strength up after she had been weakened by pregnancy and giving birth. She liked the dish so much that she suggested her husband should add it to the menu and from that day on it became the restaurant's flagship dish! However, the real consecration of Alfredo sauce came when Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, two famous Hollywood actors, tried the pasta dish on their honeymoon in Rome and were so impressed that as a token of gratitude they gave Alfredo two golden pieces of cutlery: a spoon and a fork, inscribed with a dedication: "To Alfredo the King of Noodles". From that day on, Alfredo's restaurant became a favorite destination of American stars in the roaring Twenties, as well as the population of Rome's Dolce Vita, contributing to the success of the dish across the ocean! So what are you waiting for? Get kneading that dough and prepare some pasta Alfredo for your friends, we're certain you too will earn the title of "king of pasta"!

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, diced

2 tsp. garlic, diced

1 1/4 c. chicken broth

1/2 lb. pasta, rigatoni, penne, shells, etc.

1 tsp. salt

1 c. grated parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

In a deep skillet sauté the onions over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the Parmesan and bring to a boil then immediately drop to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately!