Jambalaya Pasta and the Cajun-Italian Crossover

Cajun pasta — fettuccine or penne tossed with andouille, shrimp, the holy trinity, garlic, cayenne, and a cream sauce — represents the Cajun-Italian crossover that happened in American restaurants in the 1980s-90s when Prudhomme's Cajun revolution (LA4-04) collided with Italian-American pasta culture. The dish appears on the menu of every Cajun-themed restaurant in America and many Italian-American restaurants as well. It has no Louisiana ancestor (Louisiana uses rice, not pasta, as its starch) but it is a legitimate fusion product — the Cajun seasoning, the trinity, and the andouille applied to an Italian-American pasta format.

Fettuccine, penne, or rigatoni tossed with: sliced andouille (seared until browned), shrimp (sautéed until just pink), the holy trinity (diced fine, sautéed), garlic, cayenne, black pepper, and a cream sauce (heavy cream reduced with Parmesan, or a roux-based cream sauce). The sauce should coat the pasta; the andouille should provide smoke; the shrimp should be tender; the cayenne should build over several bites.

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