POPE-STYLE HOMEMADE FETTUCCINE

An Elegant Roman Pasta Dish with a Rich and Creamy Sauce

Pope-Style Fettuccine, or Fettuccine alla Papalina, is a classic Roman pasta dish that was created in the 1930s as a more refined alternative to Carbonara. According to legend, a Vatican chef invented this dish at the request of Pope Pius XII, who wanted something lighter and more delicate than the traditional guanciale-based pasta recipes of Rome. The result? A luxurious dish featuring homemade fettuccine, a creamy sauce, and the substitution of prosciutto crudo instead of guanciale for a milder, more elegant flavor.  

This dish is a Sunday favorite in Roman households, often prepared with homemade pasta to make the meal even more special. The buttery, silky texture of the sauce, combined with the richness of its ingredients, creates a satisfying yet well-balanced pasta dish enjoyed as a primo piatto before a larger meal.  

Perfect for family gatherings or special occasions, Fettuccine alla Papalina pairs wonderfully with a dry white wine like Frascati or a light-bodied Trebbiano to complement the dish's creamy, delicate flavors.  

This dish provides a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and energy-rich carbohydrates. For a lighter variation, avoid the butter slightly and reduce the amount of fresh cream, still maintaining the traditional creamy consistency. Choosing high-quality aged Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) ensures umami depth without excessive saltiness.

A little history

While not as well-known as Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe, Fettuccine alla Papalina remains a hidden gem of Roman cuisine. Its name, "Papalina," directly references to the origins of this recipe, born at the Pope’s request for a dish that would be both rich and refined.

Over time, the recipe evolved slightly, incorporating onions and cream to further enhance the silkiness of the sauce. However, the original Roman recipe stays true to the city's "less is more" philosophy, focusing on a few high-quality ingredients to create maximum flavor.

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INGREDIENTS👇🏻

For the fettuccine:

• 200g | 7.1oz plain flour

• 2 eggs

• Re-milled durum wheat semolina as needed  

For the sauce:

• 100g | 3.5oz Parma ham

• 1 small onion

• 2 eggs

• 100g | 3.5oz fresh cooking cream

• 40g | 1.4oz parmigiano Reggiano cheese

• 20g | 0.7oz butter

• 1 cup of meat broth [hyperlinked]

• Coarse and fine sea salt

• Black pepper

• Extra virgin olive oil

The recipe step by step

1. For the fettuccine: on a working top, create a volcano shape with the flour and crack the eggs in the middle

   
   

2. Whisk with a fork vigorously, making sure to incorporate the flour on the sides little by little

   
   

3. Finish to mix the ingredients by hand, and with the help of a spatula, until you get the consistency of a dough

   
   

4. Kneed it by hand until you achieve a smooth consistency; then wrap the dough into cling film and let it rest for at least one hour

   
   

5. Stretch the dough until you get sheets of pasta about 2mm | 0.1” thick, either using a rolling pin or a pasta machine

   
   

6. Roll each sheet on both sides like a scroll, trim the rough edges, then cut into sections of roughly 1 cm | 0.4”

   
   

7. Run the knife underneath the middle line of the rolled strips and lift to unravel the homemade fettuccine

   
   

8. Dust the fettuccine in abundant semolina to make sure they don’t stick to one another while sitting and waiting to be cooked

   
   

9. Make sure to follow the steps for the sauce until the end before boiling the water; then add coarse sea salt to it, and cook the fettuccine al dente!

   
   

10. For the sauce: roughly chop the onions and slice the Parma ham in fine strips. TIP – for the best flavor ask your deli counter for the end part of the prosciutto, in Italian called ‘Gambuccio’!

    
    

11. In a bowl mix eggs, fresh cream, grated Parmigiano cheese, salt and black pepper and whisk thoroughly to create a creamy sauce

    
    

12. In a pan, heat up the butter with some extra virgin olive oil and sizzle the ham on low heat until it becomes golden-brown

    
    

13. Add the onions to the pan with a cup of meat broth, and reduce on low heat

    
    

14. When the onions have softened and the broth has reduced, remove the pan from the heat and add the creamy sauce to it, stirring gently

    
    

15. Add the pasta to the pan as soon as you drain it, and mix the ingredients thoroughly

    
    

16. Add freshly grinded black pepper and grated Parmigiano cheese to your taste before serving…then enjoy! 😋