CraigC
Guru
Tasso is spicy, cured and smoked slices of pork butt. It is an essential ingredient in Cajun cooking. I've heard of folks eating it straight up, but I wouldn't.
The tasso we use is homemade and very spicy.
Ingredients
1 8 ounces of tasso
2 smaller or 1 large zucchini
3 yellow squash
1-3 carrots depending on size
1 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic, or more if you’re a garlic fan
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese, about ½ to ¾ cup grated.
1 lb Gemelli pasta, we like Barilla
Directions
1) Start the water for the pasta.
2) 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. We 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 we're making soon.
3) Crush and chop the garlic.
4) Add the pasta to the water.
5) Heat a large skillet over medium-medium-high heat (higher than medium, lower than medium-high, told you we just winged this one). Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, swirl to coat and add tasso. Stir for a few minutes.
6) Add carrots and onion, cook for a few minutes until they are just starting to tenderize.
7) Add garlic, cook for amount a minute, add the squashes and cook until they are just starting to get tender. 8) Add cream, starting with 1 cup. You want a nice sauce to coat the pasta. You will probably need to add more.
9) When cream bubbles sprinkle a good handful of cheese over and stir in. Pasta should be done by now, drain, and stir in. We 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. We usually taste before adding salt and pepper because the tasso is so spicy.
The tasso we use is homemade and very spicy. Ingredients
1 8 ounces of tasso
2 smaller or 1 large zucchini
3 yellow squash
1-3 carrots depending on size
1 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic, or more if you’re a garlic fan
Heavy cream
Parmesan cheese, about ½ to ¾ cup grated.
1 lb Gemelli pasta, we like Barilla
Directions
1) Start the water for the pasta.
2) 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. We 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 we're making soon.
3) Crush and chop the garlic.
4) Add the pasta to the water.
5) Heat a large skillet over medium-medium-high heat (higher than medium, lower than medium-high, told you we just winged this one). Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, swirl to coat and add tasso. Stir for a few minutes.
6) Add carrots and onion, cook for a few minutes until they are just starting to tenderize.
7) Add garlic, cook for amount a minute, add the squashes and cook until they are just starting to get tender. 8) Add cream, starting with 1 cup. You want a nice sauce to coat the pasta. You will probably need to add more.
9) When cream bubbles sprinkle a good handful of cheese over and stir in. Pasta should be done by now, drain, and stir in. We 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. We usually taste before adding salt and pepper because the tasso is so spicy.
