Just Like Home Kitchen Recipes®

Spicy Cajun Pork and Pasta Bake

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 jar of Just Like Home Kitchen Recipes® Buttery Marinara pasta sauce
  • 2 tbsp. butter (plus more to toss with pasta)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 ¼ – 1 ½ pork tenderloins – cut into bit size cubes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning – divided
  • 1 large yellow onion – chopped
  • 1 habanero pepper – minced (ribbed and seeded if you don’t like it too hot)
  • 1 tbsp. garlic – minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups of Parmigiano Reggiano (divided, plus more to toss with pasta)
  • 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 pound Ziti (cooked shy of al dente and drained – toss with a couple tablespoons of butter and a handful of Parmesan)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat a large Dutch Oven over medium-high heat; melt the butter and olive oil.
  • Season pork tenderloins with salt, pepper and a tbsp. of Cajun seasoning.
  • Cook until browned on all sides – 6-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Add onion and habanero (add more butter or oil if necessary) – stir and sauté for a few minutes picking up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
  • Add garlic – sauté a couple minutes.
  • Add heavy cream, remaining Cajun seasoning and pork to the pot. Cook reducing for about 10 minutes.
  • Add sauce, parsley, and ½ cup of the Parmesan.
  • Cook for ½ an hour.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Add ziti to the sauce and stir to combine (don’t forget to toss the ziti with butter and Parmesan first).
  • Pour half of the pasta mixture in a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Top with ¾ cup of parmesan and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Pour remaining pasta mixture into dish and top with remaining cheeses.
  • Bake 30 minutes covered, un-cover and cook another 30 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle some extra Parmesan and parsley on top before serving.

Recipe from Cyndy

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