Tetrazzini is a pasta dish with mushrooms and cream sauce, usually made with chicken or turkey. Variations can include ham, seafood, or tuna, and vegetables such as red pepper, celery, and peas. The dish is traditionally made with long, thin pasta and boneless poultry. The cream sauce is made with butter, flour, white wine, milk, and herbs. Cheese and breadcrumbs are added before baking. The dish was named after San Francisco Opera star Luisa Tetrazzini.
Tetrazzini are a hot and tasty dish made with pasta, mushrooms and a cream sauce. The recipe normally calls for the addition of chicken or turkey, in which case the dish becomes turkey tetrazzini or chicken tetrazzini. Less common variations include adding ham, seafood or tuna instead of poultry. Some variations may also include chopped red pepper, celery, almonds or peas.
Although the type of pasta used in tetrazzini can range from long cuts of pasta such as spaghetti; to shortcuts, like rigatoni; to decorative shapes, such as Butterflies; Traditionally, tetrazzini use a long, thin cut of pasta such as vermicelli, angel hair, or thin spaghetti. Regardless of the type of pasta, it should be cooked to an al dente state, meaning the pasta should slightly resist a bite once it’s done. Some, however, prefer their dough to be completely soft.
As for the protein in the dish, boneless fillets of chicken or turkey breast are normally preferred. Bone-in poultry will make the final dish a little more difficult to eat. After the poultry has been sauteed, it is traditionally diced or shredded before adding to the rest of the dish. If other meats or proteins are used in addition to or instead of poultry, they should also be reduced to bite-sized pieces.
While mushrooms are generally included in all tetrazzini recipes, the inclusion of other vegetables is more optional. Those opting for certain greens in their dishes might include peas, celery, carrots, red pepper, onions or broccoli. A completely vegetarian tetrazzino is also possible. Nuts such as almonds may also be included. Regardless of what is included, these ingredients are usually thinly sliced or cut into small pieces.
The cream sauce in the tetrazzini can also be prepared in a variety of ways, but usually starts as a simple rue of butter and flour. White wine and milk or heavy cream can be added, as well as flavorings such as onions, garlic, and fresh herbs such as basil or thyme.
While much of the preparation happens in separate stages on the stovetop – the proteins are cooked separately from the vegetables which are cooked separately from the cream sauce – a good deal of the cooking takes place in the oven. After the ingredients have been sauteed, they are mixed and placed in a saucepan to be cooked. Cheese and breadcrumbs are often added as a top layer before baking to give the dish a bit of a crunch.
Although tetrazzini can be made at home, the dish is also available in the frozen food section of most major supermarkets. There are several brands available that use slightly different ingredients. A significant number of restaurants also serve tetrazzini.
Despite its Italian-sounding name, the tetrazzini was not invented in Italy or by an Italian. Its historical origins are largely attributed to a chef at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California. The dish was named after the person it was prepared for: acclaimed San Francisco Opera star Luisa Tetrazzini, who was a regular guest at the hotel.
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