CraigC
Master Chef
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
- Messages
- 6,486
Here is a pasta dish with some kick! Tasso is a cured, smoked, Cajun pork product. We make our own as unlike andouille, it isn't available locally.
Tasso Pasta
1 package tasso
2 smaller or 1 large zucchini
3 yellow squash
2-3 carrots depending on size
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic or more if you’re a garlic fan
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese, probably about ½ to ¾ cup grated.
Barilla gemelli pasta
Start the water for the pasta. Julienne the tasso, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and onions. You should have about 1 to 1-1/2 times each the amount of veges to the tasso. I only use the colored/outside parts of the zucchini and yellow squash and either throw away the insides or use them in something else that I’m making soon. Crush and chop the garlic. Add the pasta to the water. Heat a large skillet over medium-medium-high heat (higher than medium, lower than medium-high, told you I just winged this one). Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, swirl to coat and add tasso. Stir for a few minutes then add carrots and onion, cook for a few minutes until they are just starting to tenderize then add garlic, cook for amount a minute, add the squashes and cook until they are just starting to get tender. Add cream (I have NO idea how much I add, but enough to make a nice sauce to coat the pasta, probably at LEAST a cup, more than likely more). When cream bubbles sprinkle a good handful of cheese over and stir in. Pasta should be done by now, drain, and stir in. I usually add only about 2/3 to 3/4 of box at first to see how much cream sauce the pasta will soak up, then add more if there is still a lot of liquid. Serve. You can sprinkle more parm on top if you want. I usually taste before I add salt and pepper because the ham is so spicy.
I like this not only cause it’s a 2 pot meal, minimal clean-up, and it makes a lot so we can eat lunches off it for a couple of days, but even with the cream/cheese/pasta it’s not a bad health meal cause of all the veges and minimal meat.
Tasso Pasta
1 package tasso
2 smaller or 1 large zucchini
3 yellow squash
2-3 carrots depending on size
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic or more if you’re a garlic fan
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese, probably about ½ to ¾ cup grated.
Barilla gemelli pasta
Start the water for the pasta. Julienne the tasso, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and onions. You should have about 1 to 1-1/2 times each the amount of veges to the tasso. I only use the colored/outside parts of the zucchini and yellow squash and either throw away the insides or use them in something else that I’m making soon. Crush and chop the garlic. Add the pasta to the water. Heat a large skillet over medium-medium-high heat (higher than medium, lower than medium-high, told you I just winged this one). Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, swirl to coat and add tasso. Stir for a few minutes then add carrots and onion, cook for a few minutes until they are just starting to tenderize then add garlic, cook for amount a minute, add the squashes and cook until they are just starting to get tender. Add cream (I have NO idea how much I add, but enough to make a nice sauce to coat the pasta, probably at LEAST a cup, more than likely more). When cream bubbles sprinkle a good handful of cheese over and stir in. Pasta should be done by now, drain, and stir in. I usually add only about 2/3 to 3/4 of box at first to see how much cream sauce the pasta will soak up, then add more if there is still a lot of liquid. Serve. You can sprinkle more parm on top if you want. I usually taste before I add salt and pepper because the ham is so spicy.
I like this not only cause it’s a 2 pot meal, minimal clean-up, and it makes a lot so we can eat lunches off it for a couple of days, but even with the cream/cheese/pasta it’s not a bad health meal cause of all the veges and minimal meat.
