Creamy Seafood Alfredo
A lot may be confused with Carbonara and Alfredo pasta dishes as they nearly look similar due to the common pasta used which is fettuccine and that rich and creamy white sauce. Having said that are big differences between these two wonderful dishes, Alfredo’s white sauce is usually made out of cheese and butter and sometimes cream while Carbonara is using cream and eggs. Traditionally Alfredo pasta is just tossed in parmesan cheese and hot butter which in turn melts the cheese and coats the pasta but new methods adds cream to the dish.
In 1914 it was invented by Alfredo di Lelio in a restaurant named “Alfredo alla Scrofa” in Rome, it was based on the pasta dish called “Fettuccine al burro” which means Fettuccine with butter but di Lelio did some improvements by doubling the butter amount and it was added before and after fettuccine was placed in a bowl.
It was one of Alfredo alla Scrofa’s specialty, then it became really popular when the famous co-founders of United Artists Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks fell in love with the dish during their honeymoon in 1927. In return they had their photo taken while eating in the restaurant which Alfredo di Lelio proudly displayed in his restaurant, this then started attracting customers. Back in the United States Pickford and Fairbanks started to serve the dish to their friends which eventually lead to its popularity. The rest is history and the restaurant is still in business until this day you can check out their website here.
Though “Fettuccine Alfredo” is a very popular name of a dish, in Italy and most parts of Europe this name is unheard of as this pasta dish retained the original name of “Pasta al burro” in Southern parts of Italy and it uses the name “Pasta in bianco” in Northern parts of Italy. Also in Italy the traditional methods and ingredients were retained which means butter quantity is lesser and cream is rarely used.
A very versatile sauce which can be enjoyed on its own or with ingredients such as vegetables, chicken or seafood that makes it a complete meal. For this recipe I will use my favourite pasta ingredients which are seafood.
- 250g Fettuccine
- 200g shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 200g fleshy white fish, cubed
- 2 pcs squid tubes, sliced
- 100 ml cream
- 150 ml seafood stock
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan + more for garnishing
- 5 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- olive oil
- sea salt
- Cook pasta according to instructions, drain then toss in the butter. Set aside.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil then pan fry fish pieces. Once brown on all sides remove then set aside.
- Add squid and shrimp then pan fry for 2 minutes. Remove from skillet then set aside.
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Now add seafood stock, cream, parmesan and a dash of sea salt simmer until sauce is reduced and thickens. Toss in pasta, parsley and all of the seafood.
- Serve with generous amount of grated parmesan.
i cook this one masarap….
I’m not the biggest pasta fan but this definitely goes to the top of the list for me – delicious!
🙂 Mandy xo
Looks delicious!
This looks really great, I’ll definitely give it a try since pasta and seafood are two of my favourite foods!
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO”, NOW SERVED BY THE GRANDCHILDREN, ALFREDO E ISA DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference of your article we have the pleasure to tell you the history of our grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “fettuccine all’Alfredo” in 1908 in restaurant run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi).
Alfredo di Lelio opened the restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome, after leaving the restaurant of his mother Angelina. In this local spread the fame, first to Rome and then in the world, of “fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
In 1943, during the war, Di Lelio sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), which is now managed by his nephews Alfredo and Ines, with the famous “gold cutlery”” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See also the site of “Il Vero Alfredo” http://www.alfredo-roma.it.
We must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong to the family tradition of “Il Vero Alfredo” in Rome.
We inform that the restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence” of the City of Rome Capitale.
Best regards Alfredo e Ines Di Lelio
Holy yum!!
Looks delicious!
Always love the history lesson with your delicious recipes! Gotta put this one on the menu!
I’ve had an alfredo many ways, but never with seafood. Yours looks delicious! Thanks for the background. Interesting!m
This looks like heaven to me. I could easily eat that whole thing! 🙂
Oh snap, I really need a plate of the luscious seafood alfredo!!! Ahhhhh….
This looks deeeeeeeee-licious! 😀
Ooooh I love that this is loaded with seafood!
Your seafood alfredo looks awesome!
That looks amazing Ray !
I love fettucine alfredo! I’ve never made it before, but this looks nice and easy.
It never tells you what to do with the garlic?..
Apologies for missing it out and thanks for letting me know, I updated the recipe to reflect that.
where can I get seafood stock? Is it available in local supermarkets?
Yes it is but if you really have hard time just boil fish bones, mussels, clams and shrimp heads with onions and spices you love.
Hi can I use nestle cream? and any substitute on seafood stock because I’m not familiar with it.
Yes you can use that but the ones in can not the thickened version. And for the seafood stock you can make your own by boiling in water fish bones, mussels, clams and shrimp heads with onion.
Would be nice if i don’t have to convert from g and ml to regular measurements. Thank you.
It looks like a lovely recipe-thank you. I am going to try to do this, and guess and the cup to metric conversions. Wish me luck!
Good Luck! let me know how it goes
I make something very similar. But, instead of using the fettuccine noodles, I use spaghetti squash or angel hair pasta. I also put broccoli in mine as well. This makes it a little more healthy. This, too, is scrumptious. For an added ingredient, add some baby clams to the mix. Yum! Just suggestions to try.
Thanks for this amazing suggestions, will definitely add some clams. I love it