Carino's: Chef's Corner

This is a great dish that I learned while working in Italy that I brought back for Carino's guests.

This favorite Carino's dish incorporates some great favors: sauteed shrimp, chicken in a spicy romano cream sauce. Your friends and family will love it.

Italian sausage, ham, bacon, pepperoni, green bell peppers, onions with bowtie pasta in a zesty meat sauce, topped with asiago and parmesan cheeses – A Carino’s Italian classic.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Olive Oil                                                                                    2 Tbsp

Garlic, Fresh Chopped                                                                 2 tsp

Italian Sausage, Cooked and Sliced 1/4"                                        1/2 cup

Ham, Diced                                                                                1/2 cup

Bacon, Chopped 1/4"                                                                  1/2 cup

Pepperoni, Chopped                                                                    1/4 cup

Green Bell Peppers, Diced 1/2"                                                     1/4 cup

Yellow Onions, Diced 1/2"                                                           1/4 cup

Salt and Pepper                                                                          to taste

Meat Sauce                                                                                20 ounces volume

Bowtie Pasta, Dry                                                                       20 ounces weight

Asiago Cheese, Shredded                                                            1/4 cup

Parmesan Cheese, Shredded                                                        1/4 cup

1. Grill Italian sausage until done.  Cool and slice into 1/4” pieces.
2. Add olive oil to a large sauté pan at medium heat.  Once oil is heated, add garlic, sausage, ham, bacon, pepperoni, green bell peppers, yellow onions, salt and pepper.  Sauté until bacon is cooked, peppers and onions are soft.
3. Add meat sauce to sauté pan.
4. Cook penne pasta according to package directions.  Drain excess water and then toss pasta with contents of sauté pan.
5. Place Five Meat Tuscan Pasta into designated serving plateware, garnish with Asiago and Parmesan cheeses and enjoy!   

Download a printable PDF here. 

Carinos Five Meat Tuscan Pasta.pdf (98.69 kb)

Succulent shrimp, delicious artichoke hearts, fresh roma tomatoes, chopped garlic, tangy capers, fresh basil, black olives and parmesan cheese tossed with angel hair pasta.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Angel Hair Pasta, Cooked                                                            12 ounces

Olive Oil, Extra Virgin                                                                  3 ounces

Garlic, Fresh Chopped                                                                 1 tsp

Shrimp, 16-20 Count Size                                                            14 each

Artichokes Hearts, Quartered                                                       1 cup           

Roma Tomatoes, Diced                                                               1 cup

Black Olives, Chopped                                                                 1 cup

Capers                                                                                      4 Tbsp

Salt                                                                                           ½ tsp

Pepper                                                                                      ½ tsp

Basil, Fresh Julienne                                                                    ¼ cup

Parmesan, Shredded                                                                   2 Tbsp

Parsley, Fresh Chopped                                                               garnish

1. Cook angel hair according to directions on package, 12 ounces should yield approximately 20 ounces of cooked pasta.
2. To a medium heated sauté pan, add olive oil, garlic, shrimp and artichokes.  Let shrimp cook and let garlic turn a golden color to develop flavor.
3. Add tomatoes, black olives, capers, salt and pepper to sauté pan.  Let ingredients thoroughly heat while mixing.
4. Remove from heat and add toss in fresh basil.
5. Place cooked angel hair in a mound on service plate and top with ingredients from sauté pan.
6. Garnish with parmesan and parsley, enjoy!

Download a printable PDF here.

Carinos Angel Hair Artichokes Shrimp.pdf (67.05 kb)

Pan sautéed chicken breast deglazed with aged balsamic vinegar and topped with shredded parmesan cheese. Served with angel hair pasta tossed with fresh Roma tomatoes, spinach and garlic.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Flour                                                                                         2 cups

Salt & Pepper                                                                             to taste

Olive Oil, Extra Virgin                                                                  3 ounces

Chicken, 8 oz Breast, Butterflied                                                   4 each

Balsamic Vinegar                                                                        12 ounces

Olive Oil, Extra Virgin                                                                  2 oz

Garlic, Fresh Chopped                                                                 2 tsp

Spinach, Fresh Baby Leaf                                                             3 cups

Roma Tomatoes, Diced ½”                                                          1 cup

Angel Hair Pasta, Dry                                                                  10 oz weight

Parmesan Cheese, Shredded                                                        2 Tbsp

1. Season flour with salt and pepper.  Cut chicken breast in half yielding 4 ounce medallions.
2. Add olive oil to a heated sauté pan.  Dust chicken with flour and sauté in oil until cooked.  Add balsamic vinegar and let reduce around chicken until there is no liquid left in the pan.
3. To another heated sauté pan, add 2 ounces of olive oil, 2 tsp of chopped garlic, spinach, diced roma tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.  Sauté until spinach is cooked and garlic is heated.  Do not burn the garlic.
4. Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions.  Drain excess water and then toss pasta with tomatoes and spinach in the sauté pan and reserve for plating. 
5. Plate the pasta on the designated service plate ware and overlap each chicken breast over the pasta.  Garnish both the balsamic chicken and pasta with parmesan and enjoy!

Download the printable PDF here.

Carinos Chicken Balsamico.pdf (66.67 kb)