Boil pasta in heavily salted water, drain, and set aside. Cook to al dente. That means check one noodle by eating it. When it’s just a TINY bit more firm than you might like to eat it, it’s done. Just before you drain, scoop out a cup of the starchy water. Choose one that has grooves or a tunnel to hold sauce. We love DeLallo products.
Slice 2 smoked sausages about 1/4” thick. (8 oz.) Smoked Polish works great here. Andouille would work great too if you love heat!
Heat up a large skillet over medium-high heat. This is a great time for cast iron if you have it. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and the sliced sausages. Let them sit for just a minute before you stir. If they stick, wait a minute longer. Brown the sausage by stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Brown food tastes good! You want some color.
Add cream or milk or plant milk. Add Cajun seasoning. A recipe follows if you don’t have this blend in your cabinet. Adjust to taste - The Butcher makes his own and cuts way back on the cayenne on account of The Butcher’s Daughter’s Tender mouth! Bring to a boil and simmer 4 minutes, stirring very often, until when you coat the back of a wooden spoon with sauce, you can wipe a stripe away with your finger and the stripe stays.
Add the pasta, then down the heat to medium, and stir to combine. Cook a couple minutes more. Every pasta deserves the last few minutes of cooking to happen in the sauce - it helps really embed the sauce and flavors into the pasta. Add a splash of starchy cooking water if the pasta and sauce gets too thick. This is a great tip for every pasta dish.
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