Chef Jordan Ruiz developed this recipe, which his wife dubbed “Uncle Jo’s Pasta” in honor of her husband, who is “an uncle who makes great pasta. He always hated the name because he thinks it’s silly, but I like fun names and I print the menu, so he had to deal with it.”
At his New Orleans restaurant, the Munch Factory, Ruiz makes it with spaghetti. He jazzes the dish up a bit more, adding a cup of crawfish tails when they’re in season. He uses fresh corn on the cob, brushing it with oil and dusting it with Creole seasoning before roasting it at a high heat, and then he scrapes the kernels from the cob. To make it a bit easier for home cooks, we used frozen whole kernel corn. It would take about 2 medium ears to get the 1 1/2 cups needed for the recipe.
At the restaurant, Ruiz adds chunks of deep-fried chicken breast to complement the creamy pasta. The dish is great with just pasta, sausage and shrimp. If you want to add the chicken, but don’t want the mess of frying, try breading it and baking it until crisp (see NOTE).
This dish is very spicy. If you’d like a little less heat, decrease the crushed red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon.
Serve with crispy sliced and buttered French bread or baguette.
Storage: Refrigerate the pasta for up to 3 days. Store the optional chicken separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating, thin the pasta sauce with a few tablespoons of cream or water. Crisp the chicken in a frying pan, 350-degree oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes and add to reheated pasta.
Cajun or Creole seasoning is available at most national grocery stores and online.
Recipe from chef Jordan Ruiz, owner of the Munch Factory in New Orleans.
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Ingredients
measuring cupServings: 4
Directions
Step 1
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook at a boil for about 2 minutes, just until pasta is soft and pliable. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
Step 2
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the 2 teaspoons of oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until just turning pink at the edges, about 1 minute. Add the corn, seasoning, scallions, parsley and garlic and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the scallions begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Add the cream and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cooked pasta, red pepper flakes and cumin. Stir to combine and simmer about 1 minute.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat, add the Parmesan and stir to combine. The sauce will be thick.
Step 5
Spoon the pasta into four shallow bowls. Sprinkle with sliced scallions, if desired.
Step 6
NOTE: If making the chicken: Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. In a shallow container or plate, stir together 1/2 cup panko and 1/2 cup (2 ounces) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese until combined. Rub 1 tablespoon Creole, or stone-ground, mustard all over 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each), then coat the chicken on both sides with the panko-cheese mixture, pressing the mixture to adhere. Grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Place the chicken on the sheet and roast for about 20 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Cut the chicken diagonally and place several pieces on top of the pasta.
Step 7
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Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories
830
Fat
36 g
Saturated Fat
18 g
Carbohydrates
89 g
Sodium
1963 mg
Cholesterol
195 mg
Protein
36 g
Fiber
7 g
Sugar
3 g
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
Recipe from chef Jordan Ruiz, owner of the Munch Factory in New Orleans.
Tested by Ann Maloney.
Published April 22, 2020
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