Loni Anderson's Go-To Pasta Dish Remains A Classic

Actress Loni Anderson started her acting career in the mid-1960s but it wasn't until the late '70s when she would become a household name, mostly due to her performance as the sharp, witty receptionist, Jennifer Marlowe, on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati." Since her death on August 3, 2025, fans and outlets have recalled her career roles and, of course, her rocky romance with Burt Reynolds which was regularly in the tabloids. People are also talking about a unique pasta dish Anderson apparently loved to make, one which she called "Fettucine a la Ross," which seems to have been named after her second husband, Ross Bickell.

The recipe that is catching people's eyes is a creamy, rich pasta dish that is flavored with prosciutto, butter, sage, red pepper, Marsala wine, and parmesan cheese. Fettuccine a la Ross (originally posted on Facebook) appears to have been printed and published but it's unclear when or what publication released it. The dish looks simple enough to put together. You sauté sliced prosciutto (which is different from pancetta), herbs, and spices in butter, add the Marsala wine, and finally stir in the cream until the sauce is thickened. You then toss cooked and drained fettuccine with the sauce along with the parmesan cheese. It sounds luxurious, silky, and perfect for a chilly evening, preferably in front of the television, watching reruns of the aforementioned comedy classic, "WKRP in Cincinnati."

There doesn't appear to be an Italian equivalent of "Fettuccine a la Ross," but the dish has suggestions of things like veal saltimbocca and chicken Marsala. The former involves veal cutlets that are topped with prosciutto and sage which are fried in butter and served with a white wine sauce. Chicken marsala is made by lightly frying chicken cutlets which are then served with a thickened mushroom-Marsala wine sauce. And, of course, classic fettuccine alfredo is a long-standing favorite made with little more than the pasta tossed in a butter-cream-cheese sauce. It's also a dish that Hollywood stars helped raise to fame. Fettuccine a la Ross appears to be a mashup of sorts of all three of these dishes. Perhaps Anderson's husband, Bickell, was a fan of all three of them.

You could easily upgrade Anderson's recipe by including some slices of fried chicken or veal cutlets, or add mushrooms, peas, or spinach. If you don't have prosciutto, the recipe says that thinly sliced baked ham is a suitable substitute. Alternatively, you could go with salami, pancetta, or even bacon which will give you a smokier flavor. If you don't have Marsala wine on hand, a dry sherry or white wine would be suitable substitutes. Use chicken stock if you'd rather omit the alcohol.