Peter Garland from Porta Via Shares a Special Recipe with the Dining Duo

FUSILLI with CHICKEN RAGU




Ingredients:



Chicken Ragu:

2 lbs. ground chicken

6 cups tomato marinara sauce

4 cloves garlic (mashed with a knife)

½ onion (diced)

1 carrot (diced)

2 stalks celery (diced)

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon oregano

4 leaves fresh thyme (reserve 1 tablespoon fresh thyme to add to sauce at end)

1 ½ teaspoon cajun spice (powdered onion, thyme, black pepper, paprika, salt)

Salt & pepper to taste



Pasta:

1 ½ lbs. fusilli pasta

16 cups water

1 teaspoon olive oil

Pinch of salt



In a large sauté pan, cook garlic, onion, carrots and celery together on high heat (350°) for 4 minutes until vegetables are brown and soft.

Stir in fresh thyme and bay leaves.

Add ground chicken, stirring until meat crumbles.

Add tomato marinara sauce. Continually stir together all ingredients.

Cook on high heat for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add 1/4 teaspoon oregano

Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Add 1 ½ teaspoon Cajun spice

Add salt and pepper to taste.



In a large pot, bring 16 cups of water to a boil on high heat.

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and a little salt to the water.

Add pasta.

Cook pasta on high heat for 8 minutes.

Drain and serve with chicken ragu.