Today was a tough one. It’s National Fettuccine Alfredo Day. It’s also Tijuana Tuesday. Now in our house, we could always swap out Tijuana Tuesday with Tuscan Thursday. Better still, take Fettuccine Alfredo south of the border with a little Tijuana heat.
Let’s talk Fettuccine Alfredo for just a minute. By now, most of us know that Fettuccine Alfredo was lovingly created by Alfredo di Lelio for his very pregnant wife, Ines. While expected their second child, Ines suffered morning sickness that seemed to last all day. So her husband created a simple dish in his restaurant that she was able to eat. It was put on the menu and ignored until a couple of Hollywood Silent Film Stars honeymooning in Italy took his recipe home with them. Not only did Fettuccine Alfredo become a hit state side, but his restaurant became a stopping point for touring Hollywood elite of the day.
In it’s most honest form, Fettuccine Alfredo is pasta, butter and quality Italian cheese. That’s it – with maybe a little fresh black pepper. Like most recipes, over time other ingredients were added. Mushrooms are always a popular addition to any Alfredo Sauce. Just as chicken is generally accepted as the go-to meat of choice.
These days Fettuccine Alfredo is anything but simple. There are creams and a wide variety of cheese options. And spices – aromatic spices that bring a whole new dimension to the dish. The right spice combination makes Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo perfect for a Tijuana Tuesday Supper. Served with an avocado salad and you have all the makings for a delicious dining experience. Enjoy!
Tuesday’s Spicy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
4 oz Brown Mushrooms
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 boneless Chicken Breasts
2 teaspoons Cumin or to taste
Salt to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
8 oz uncooked Fettuccine
2 tablespoons Butter, divided
2 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1-1/2 cups Heavy Cream
Fresh Black Pepper
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1-1/2 cups Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
Parsley for garnish
Clean and slice mushrooms, set aside. Peel and mince garlic, set aside.
Dice chicken into bite-size pieces. Spread out in a single layer on the cutting boar. Season chicken with cumin, salt and Cayenne Pepper. Toss to coat, adding more seasoning as desired. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Keep warm.
While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl the pan to coat, add chicken and sauté until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet, place in a bowl an hold in a warm oven.
Melt remaining butter in the now empty skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and Sun-dried tomatoes, cook for about a minute. Gradually add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Season with fresh black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. While whisking constantly, let cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and move skillet off heat. Add Parmesan and Pepper Jack cheeses to the skillet, stir and return to low heat. Let cheeses melted.
Add chicken and any juices that may have accumulated in the bowl; heat through, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let sauce thicken for a few minutes.
Place half of the fettuccini in a large serving bowl. Pour half of the Chicken Alfredo over the pasta, pull through. Add remaining pasta to the bowl, pulling through the sauce to coat. Top with remaining Alfredo Sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs, serve and enjoy.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 
My daughter prefers Alfredo over the classic mac & cheese any day. I do mine a little bit different but I like that you have the pepper jack in your recipe. I’m going to try that. And sun-dried tomatoes? The recipe sounds perfect 👌🏼 I have a very long list of recipes to play with, but when I do, I’ll be sure to tag you ☺️
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Enjoy!!! Playing is so much fun!
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Looks very tasty Rosemarie
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It truly was.
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I definitely rate your version of this classic recipe *****. I didn’t know the back story, so thanks for including it in your post.
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I love learning the story behind things. It gives us a glimps into the past in a whole new way. So glad you enjoyed.
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HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo Di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1948 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, 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 the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” is present in Mexico with a restaurant in Mexico City and a trattoria in Cozumel on the basis of franchising relationships with the Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1948 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con
l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Il brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” è presente in Messico con un ristorante a Città del Messico e una trattoria a Cozumel sulla base di rapporti di franchising con il Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio
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Wow
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