Despite the dorky name, this is a delicious, creamy and spicy pasta
dish with crisp pork added to boot.
Recipe copied without permission from Jane Butel's Hotter Than Hell
cookbook.
Perky Porky Pigtails
A distant (and very feisty) cousin of fettuccine Alfredo, this full-flavored
dish is one you can never serve often enough--if my family is any indication!
They tasted it for the first time when I created it for this book; now it's
one of their favorites. Serve with side dishes of Parmesan cheese and
caribe and a crisp green salad with a tart dressing.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb boneless pork steak (cut 1 inch thick), cut
in strips 2 to 3 inches long and 1/4 inch wide.
1 Tbsp caribe (crushed Northern New Mexico red chile),
or to taste.
1 lb dried fusilli (corkscrew spaghetti)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp ground pure California mild red chile
1/2 cup Italian-style pimento-pepper picalilli
PROCEDURE
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet; add garlic
and cook until just beginning to turn golden. Then add pork strips
and cook quickly, turning often, about 5 minutes or until pork begins
to brown. Sprinkle with caribe and continue to cook until meat
is quite browned and crisp. Remove from skillet; keep warm in a 250
degree (F) oven along with 4 to 8 serving plates. Following package
directions, cook pasta in boiling water just until tender to
bite. Drain well, return to cooking pan and cover. In skillet used
to cook pork, melt 1/2 cup butter; add cream and
1/2 cup cheese. Cook until bubbly, stirring to free browned
bits from bottom of skillet. Stir in ground chile, taste
and adjust seasonings. Drizzle sauce over pasta, add pork strips and
picalilli and toss gently, sprinkling with remaining
1/2 cup cheese. Continue to stir carefully until well
blended. Serve hot, on warmed plates. Makes about 8 appetizer
servings, 4 to 6 main-dish servings.
Ed Santiago