Even Popes like the simple Roman cuisine, for example Pope Pius XII, who had a soft spot for pasta alla carbonara. A special variation was invented for him in the 1930s. Today it is known throughout Italy as fettucine alla papalina, ribbon noodles for the Pope.

Tradition times two

Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII, loved to eat at La Cisterna, a restaurant not far from the Vatican. In order to vary the Cardinal's favourite dish, the chef "mixed" two traditional recipes: carbonara and fettuccine alfredo.
Durum wheat pasta is replaced with fettuccine with egg, guanciale with raw ham (prosciutto crudo), oil with butter and the pecorino with Parmesan. At the end, the yolks are added as in the preparation of a true carbonara.

Variations for every taste

The original recipe for papal-style ribbon noodles has many variations. Often they are prepared with cream or crème fraîche and, depending on the season, they are refined with peas or mushrooms. Some replace the raw ham with prosciutto cotto and even bacon. Some simmer the sauce with the cream, others add the cream to the pan just before the pasta. What should never be missing: lots of Parmesan and freshly ground pepper.
Would you like to prepare the fettuccine at home? Then follow the link to the recipe.

📖 Recipe

Fettuccine alla papalina, ribbon noodles for the Pope

Pope Pius XII, who had a soft spot for pasta alla carbonara. A special variation was invented for him in the 1930s

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Main Course, main dish, meat dish, noodles

Cuisine Italy, rome

Servings servings

Calories 598 kcal

Ingredients

320 g egg pasta, e.g. fettuccine
butter
1 onion
100 g raw ham, prosciutto crudo
150 g parmesan
2 egg yolks
black pepper, freshly ground
salt

Instructions

Fry the finely chopped onion in butter until translucent. It should not turn brown. Cut the ham into pieces and gently fry with the onion. Season with pepper and a little salt if desired. In a bowl, mix the yolks with ⅔ of the grated Parmesan.
In the meantime, cook the fettuccine in plenty of salted water until al dente. When straining, collect some of the pasta water. Add the pasta immediately to the pan with the onions and ham and mix well.
Remove the pan from the heat and now add the yolk mixture. If the pasta is too dry, you can add 1-2 spoons of pasta water. Season with the remaining Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 598 kcalCarbohydrates: 61 gProtein: 30 gFat: 26 gSaturated Fat: 11 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3 gMonounsaturated Fat: 9 gCholesterol: 207 mgSodium: 788 mgPotassium: 329 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 3 gVitamin A: 482 IUVitamin C: 2 mgCalcium: 491 mgIron: 2 mg

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Buon appetito!