Issue 022: Who Was the First Rasta to Pasta?

Hey Q-Crew!

Ever since I first tried this dish I’ve pondered on its origins. Rastafarians are known for many great additions to Jamaican culture, but I hadn’t met a single one who loved to cook a classic pasta dish. So today we’re answering the question and making Pan-seared Boneless Jerk Chicken Thighs with Truffle Rasta Pasta!

The concept for Rasta pasta was created by Chef Lorraine Washington in 1985 at the Paradise Yard Restaurant in Negril, Jamaica. The original meal was a red sauce based dish with ackee, Jamaica’s national fruit, that she created to quickly feed a hungry construction crew.

The workers named the dish Rasta pasta because of the red, green, and yellow bell peppers in the dish similar to the Rastafarian flag and the fettucine noodles’ similarity to locs (The Bermudian Magazine, 2025). Today the dish has evolved to include a jerk spiced cream-based sauce and various meats like chicken and shrimp. Which unlike Rastafarians, means this version of the dish is not vegan.

This month’s theme was You’re A Jerk! Well not you, I think you guys are fantastic. But we’re spending the next few weeks incorporating a single element into all of our dishes: jerk seasoning! The recipes run the gamut from mains to sides, Southern to Jamaican to Italian to Mexican, but every dish will feature jerk seasoning as a main ingredient. You can make your own jerk seasoning ​using the recipe here​, or you can purchase a brand like Walkerswoood! Next month’s theme is Sweet & Sticky!

Pan-seared Boneless Jerk Chicken Thighs

Prep time: 15 minutes (+marinating time)

Cook time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 6 skin on chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • 1 tbsp complete seasoning
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Step 1: “Wash” your chicken in a mixture of lime, vinegar, salt, and water. Then debone if it is not boneless.

Step 2: Add the jerk seasoning, complete seasoning, paprika, and olive oil.

Step 3: Mix until all pieces of chicken are well coated then marinate for at least 2 hours. (You could cook it immediately but letting it sit increases the flavor)

Step 4: Lay your chicken skin side down in a large pot over medium heat.

Step 5: Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Step 6: Turn skin side up then recover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

Step 7: Turn the heat up to medium-high and uncover, then turn skin side down for 5 minutes.

Step 8: Remove from heat and serve!

Truffle Rasta Pasta

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 20 oz noodles of choice
  • 8 oz half & half
  • 16 oz heavy cream
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp italian seasoning
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 8 oz cups freshly grated parmesan
  • 8 oz shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tsp truffle oil

Step 1: Boil the noodles to preferred doneness and set aside.

Step 2: In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Step 3: Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and sautee for 5-7 minutes until beginning to soften.

Step 4: Add the heavy cream, stir, and bring up to a simmer.

Step 5: Add the half & half, and bring back up to a simmer.

Step 6: Mix in the salt and jerk seasoning and let simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally, until the sauce can coat the back of a spoon.

Step 7: Remove from the heat and mix in the parmesan and mozzarella one handful at a time.

Step 8: Mix in your truffle oil and italian seasoning.

Step 9: Stir in your fettucine noodles until thoroughly coated.

Step 10: Serve hot as is or topped with protein of choice!

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Bonus Recipe: Fried Jerk Chicken

I haven’t made fried chicken in years, but in trying to think of a new spin on an old recipe that would match this month’s theme, I came up with the perfect idea: to fry jerk chicken! The outside is the hot crunch you love of fried chicken, but the inside is the flavor and spice of jerk chicken. A winning combo!

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Contemporary and fusion West Indian cooking... or whatever else I think up #LetHerCook