We made it home! I would have posted this dinner last night except for the fact that my brain fell into a post-Thanksgiving coma and didn’t come out until…well, I’m not sure I’m even out of it yet. While I was busy unpacking from our trip and getting settled, Aaron had an unexpected craving to cook dinner. (YES!) I stayed out. of. his. way. while he prepared a most filling (as if we needed something filling) and tasty turkey (as if we needed more turkey) pasta dish. I can’t begin to describe the scents coming from the kitchen. And I hope I can describe his process accurately. He was kind of secretive about it. OH WELL. He knows I have this blog thing, right?
Aaron’s Turkey Pasta Dish:
* 1 pound ground turkey
* 1/2 pound linguine (or spaghetti)
* 2 Tbs. tomato paste
* 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes (in their juice)
* 1 carrot, diced
* 1 celery rib, diced
* 1/2 red onion, diced
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Tbs. honey
* 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
* 1/4th tsp. crushed red pepper
* 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/4th tsp. ground cardamom
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 2 bay leaves
* splash of vermouth
* assortment of fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme)
* 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
In a regular sized saucepan, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the crushed red pepper, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom and let bloom and become fragrant for about 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Toss to coat with spices. Add the honey, tomato paste and splash of vermouth. Stir to let this mini sauce carmelize a tad. Add the can of tomatoes and stir to combine everything. Toss in the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 of the fresh herbs to the tomato sauce.
In the meantime, heat the other Tbs. olive oil. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Add turkey to tomato sauce and let simmer on a low heat for about 30 to 45 minutes.
In the last 10 or so minutes, cook your pasta to al dente. Oh yes.
To serve, top pasta portion with turkey sauce and garnish with more parsley. Top with parmesan shavings. Proceed with brain coma.
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