Alfredo Pasta is wildly popular in Trinidad. So popular that it appears on menus nationwide, from cafes to brunch buffets to roadside stands, yep, even roadside stands! When did Trinidad’s love affair with pasta begin? No one knows for sure. Perhaps it began the first time a Trini tasted a cheesy macaroni pie (baked pasta pie containing cheese, milk and garlic). Technically, a macaroni pie is a baked version of Alfredo pasta…technically.
Perhaps it began in an effort to embrace American culture, the Alfredo pasta that’s available in Trinidad is the Americanized version of the “original”. Alfredo pasta joins the list of Americanized favourites like hot dogs, burgers and pancakes that are now staples in a Trinidadian Caribbean diet. It’s just the way it is, the global nature of things. Needless to say Alfredo pasta didn’t actually originate in North America, as the story goes, Alfredo pasta got it’s start in Italy.
The Story of Alfredo Pasta
It’s said that Alfredo Pasta originated in Italy; a creation by Signore Alfredo di Leilo. Alfredo’s wife was carrying a little bambino (child) at the time, not feeling very swell and not eating very much so Alfredo decided to whip up a simple dish that his wife would manage. Turns out he also had a restaurant and began serving the dish tableside to his patrons. As the story goes, two of those patrons happened to be an American couple that were so impressed with Alfredo’s dish they made a huge deal about it to their friends back in America. You could say they furthered a chain of events that lead to the explosion in popularity of Alfredo’s Pasta in the United States.
Not the Real Alfredo 
Not the real Alfredo Pasta
(Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com)
This chain of events also changed the course of his dish into something different. The result…an infamous dish that’s not actually “the real Alfredo Pasta”.
The original ingredients for Alfredo Pasta
The Alfredo Pasta we know today is a bit different from Alfredo’s original Pasta. His sauce was made from butter, cheese and a little pasta water…essentially he made a butter and cheese pasta known as Fettuccine al Burro /Doppio Burro/ Fettucine al Burro e Parmigiano/ Pasta Bianca in Italy. As the cheese melted into the warm butter, it created a thick, beautiful, delicious sauce.
Alfredo’s sauce contained no cream and no garlic which I find quite interesting because most versions of Alfredo Pasta that I’ve encountered contain these two ingredients.
Alfredo Base – Butter and Garlic 
Adding the Cream to Alfredo Sauce
Now some say Alfredo would turn in his grave at the thought of what his dish has become, maybe it’s Italians that say this but…Italians tend to be a bit dramatic. What I call drama, they call passion. But you know what I mean… the hand gestures the pursed mouths, the enlarged eyes. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, this is the same kinda emotive expressions East Indians utilize when commanding their children to eat. Yeah? No? Okay….moving on.
I took it a step further and adulterated the man’s dish even more. But in all fairness…is it even “his” dish? It’s believed by some that a version of this dish was first referenced in a fifteenth century Italian cookbook: Lebro de Arte Coquinaria, written by Martino da Como. Regardless of what you believe common sense would indicate that Alfredo clearly wasn’t the first fella to toss pasta, cheese and butter together but I suppose you could say he’s one of the most well known fellas to do so.
Did he patent the thing? Does everyone who makes and eats an Alfredo Pasta have to pay him royalties? The answer is no! Alfredo’s Pasta evolved into the Americanized version and now it’s evolving even further into my Trini Version.
(Bionic Man music in the background) We shall rebuild it….bigger….better…spicer than before.
Trini Pasta Alfredo
My Caribbean-ized Alfredo Pasta adds a dash of flavour, a surge of sunshine and some real nice rhythm. Play some steel pan music for ambience, this one is pure tropical vibes.
The depth of spices creates an earthy, warm sensation on the palette that’s tamed by the creamy richness of the Alfredo sauce. This one is a true fusion and I’m pretty proud of how this dish turned out. And yep, in case you were wondering …it’s been Trini taste tested and approved. I already have some requests lined up for this one. Sandra wants some Trini Alfredo pasta next week, and Surish wants some made with chicken. My co workers are all eagerly awaiting this one for pot luck.
Just an idea here…maybe I should take a page out of Alfredo’s book and name this one after myself “Amelia’s Trini Pasta” but I’m not so “bold-face” (term for outrageously bold). Alfredo sure had some meatballs (kidding, kidding, not kidding). Anyways, I’m quite happy to call this one Trini Pasta Alfredo.
Substitutions for Shrimp
I’ve utilized shrimp in my pasta but you could easily substitute chicken, turkey or pork. Want a vegetarian option? Substitute eggplant slices or zucchini.
Caribbean Flavour
This dish is versatile and customizable. If you like heat feel free to add some cayenne pepper to the rub, some chili flakes to the sauce or some chopped chilis or habanero. It’s totally up to you.
I had to add the obligatory Culantro (locally known as Shadow Beni ) herb to this one. I’ve seen this herb used on everything from eggs to salad to cheese pies! Trinidad’s obsession with this herb is reminiscent of a Frank’s Hot Sauce Ad: “Trinidadians put that s**t on everything!”.
I chose to add it to my dish not just as a garnish but for the flavour it imparts. It adds a burst of fresh citrusy flavour along with a kick of pepperiness. Bottom line, I couldn’t create my Trini Alfredo Pasta without using this one. Just couldn’t!
Substitute for Culantro
Now if you can’t find culantro where you live cilantro is an excellent substitute. The flavour of both culantro and cilantro are pretty similar though Culantro is far more intense.
It’s my most humble opinion that Alfredo’s reaction to my Trini Pasta would be: he’d rise from his grave Lazarus style.
Yep, he’d rise from his grave and then he’d do a dutty wine (scandalous dance). Mr. Alfredo looks like he could manage a dutty wine. He’d maneuver those hips like a spaghetti being slurped. Hands in the air, eyes wide with excitement, and a mouth filled with some flavorful Trini Pasta.
The Real Alfredo di Leilo 
Alfredo di Leilo and J.F. Kennedy
Trini Pasta Alfredo
Course: MainCuisine: Caribbean, ItalianDifficulty: Easy5
minutes12
minutesIngredients
- Shrimp
2 lbs shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp roasted cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
drizzle olive oil (for cooking)
- Alfredo Sauce
2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic grated/finely minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cup cooking cream*
1/4 – 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
142 g cheese (parmesan, Pecorino Romano) plus extra for serving*
- Pasta
1 lb Penne Pasta (454g)
Pot filled with boiling water
- Garnish
1/2 cup chopped culantro
Directions
- Wash shrimp and pat dry.
- Mix all the ingredients together for the spice rub and coat the shrimp. Toss well.
- Add the oil to a skillet and cook shrimp on medium high heat for 2 minutes per side or until each side forms a gentle crust/char.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet and reserve.
- Cook Pasta until al dente (follow package instructions).
- Add butter and garlic to a pot, cook on medium heat for 1 min.
- Add the chicken stock, cook for 1 min. then reduce heat, add cream and gently simmer.
- Add the nutmeg, stir to combine, add grated cheese and stir.
- Add drained pasta, remove from heat. Toss well then add reserved shrimp.
- Add extra cheese if desired* then garnish with chopped culantro.
- Toss everything together and serve
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cheese: I used half Parmesan and half Pecorino Romano cheese (Total = 142g). Feel free to use all parmesan if you want.
- Grated cheese: Cheese grated on a medium sized box grater and a zest grater will have 2 different volumes. Volume can vary significantly depending on size: The same 1 ounce of cheese can equal 1/2 cup of grated cheese—or half of that amount. I included the weight of the cheese used (pre grated) to simplify. The rough estimate of grated cheese (grated on a zester) = 3 cups.
- Cream: Substitute cooking cream with regular cream or heavy cream. You might have to thin out the heavy cream with more stock or some pasta water so keep an eye on your sauce consistency.
- Pasta: I used Penne pasta for this recipe but you can use any pasta you’d like, including fresh pasta. Just remember to remove the pasta from the pot when it’s “al dente” or just before “al dente” because it will continue cooking in the warm cream sauce. A good estimate is to remove the pasta 1-2 mins before the recommended cooking time on the package.
- Sauce Consistency: If your sauce is too thin then add more cheese to thicken. Alternatively, if your sauce is too thick you can thin it out with a bit of pasta water, a splash of stock or a bit of cream. The sauce should be thick enough to visibly coat your pasta.
- Culantro Substitute: Cilantro
