Pasta Caruso

Oh boy.

This month’s Eat the World was an adventure for me.

Originally, I was going to make Pasta Caruso but decided not to (yes, really).  I had found a kinda funky recipe originally that included pureeing ham into the sauce and it weirded me out.

Then I was kinda stuck.

Then the Eat the World deadline was less that a week away and I decided I was going to make Chivito (a steak sandwich).  We got back from Easter (exhausted), got Spud to his first baseball practice less than half an hour later, I went shopping and bought all the ingredients…

Then the steaks got left in the car…

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Stubborn me was unwilling to buy more steaks. I was bound and determined to make dinner without. 

I was on the verge of bowing out of Eat the World for the first time (sad face) when I happened upon Pasta Caruso again.  I found a better recipe this time and realized that I had all of the ingredients on hand.  Success!

The kids were thrilled (Dude thought I was making Mac & cheese based on how it smelled) and I was happy that I was able to come back around to my first choice and make dinner work in a pinch!

Check out all the wonderful Uruguayan dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. 

Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Magical Ingredients: Tortas Fritas 

Sneha’s Recipe: Torta Frita -Uruguay 

Pandemonium Noshery: Polvito Uruguayo 

Palatable Pastime: Grilled Chicken Pinchitos 

Sugarlovespices: Uruguayan Pancho Hot Dog with Fries on the Side 

Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Pasta Caruso 

Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Empanadas a la Criolla, Uruguayan Wines, and Upcoming #TannatDay 

Kitchen Frau: Torta de Fiambre (Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches) 

Cultureatz: Chaja Cake, an Uruguayan Peach Meringue Layer Cake 

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Milanesa Napolitana 

Making Miracles: The Chivito: Uruguay's Iconic Steak & Egg Sandwich

Disclaimer: This post contains a recipe highlighting a different country or culture. While I strive for authenticity, I sometimes need to make adjustments to recipes due to ingredient availability.  

Pasta Caruso

Adapted from Global Kitchen Travels

1 (12 ounce) box dry penne pasta

1 medium onion, diced

8 ounces ham, diced

4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons butter, divided

3 tablespoons four

1 teaspoon beef bullion (or 1 cube)

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

¾ cup milk

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta to al dente in salted water according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and ham and fry lightly.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions and mushrooms have softened.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted.  Then stir in the flour and bullion and cook for a minute.  Slowly stir in the cream and milk, allowing the mixture to thicken slightly between additions.  Stir in the parmesan and season with pepper.

Add the pasta and stir to coat.  Serve immediately. 

Amy Eats the World in...

Cuba: Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker Beef)

Ireland: Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale
Thailand: Chicken Satay
Kenya: Crunchy N’Dizi (Peanut Crusted Bananas)
Sweden: Rodbetssallad med Getost (Grated Beet Salad with Goat Cheese)
New Zealand: Kiwi Burger 
France: Fougasse (Provencal Flatbread)
Argentina: Chimichurri Sauce
Mexico (Halloween Special): Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)
India: Spiced Golden Milk 
Poland: Chrusciki (Angel Wing Cookies)
Ethiopia: Buticha (Hummus)
England: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Leaky Cauldron-Style Mini Cottage Pie 
Georgia: Lobiani (Bean-Stuffed Bread)
Mexico: Crispy Pork Carnitas
Cambodia: Loc Lac (Shredded Beef with Lime)
Israel: Chicken Albondigas (Chicken Meatballs)
Finland: Sima (Lemonade) 
Puerto Rico: Arroz con Tocino  (Rice with Bacon)
Egypt: Ghorayebah Cookies
Ukraine: Scuffles (Rohalyky) Cinnamon Crescent Rolls
Portugal: Bitoque (Steak & Eggs) 
Germany (Christmas Special): Lebkuchenherzen (German "Gingerbread" Cookies) 
Trinidad & Tobago: Trini Macaroni Pie 
Iraq: T'bit (Slow Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice) 
Fiji: Fijian Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) 
Senegal: Cafe Touba (Senegalese Spiced Coffee) 
Colombia: Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast) 
Soul Food (United States): Oven-Baked Ribs with Cola BBQ Sauce 
Bangladesh: Shemai (Sweet Vermicelli Pudding) 
The Netherlands: Dutch Farmer’s Cheese Soup (Boerenkaas Soep) 
Laos: Khao Piak Sen (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup) 
Jamaica: Chicken &  Pumpkin Soup 
Vietnam: Vietnamese Chicken Porridge (Chao Ga) 
Sudan: Red Lentil Soup (Sudanese Addas) 
Luxembourg: Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-Vent)
Uruguay: Pasta Caruso