Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Updated: May 20, 2020
Serves 4
Don't have any pasta sauce? Have I got a solution for you! Red Peppers (capsicums) are so easy to roast and blend into a pasta sauce. It can be a little basic if you don't season it well or add too few chives at the end. It's a very simple recipe but that doesn't mean we have to compromise on flavour!
In New Zealand, we seem to be good on the capsicum front. We lack a lot of garlic on shelves at the moment though - so you may have to use garlic salt or garlic flakes.
Keep on trucking (and cooking) isolation-ists.
PRO TIPS
Stir in a protein for a fuller meal - grilled prawns, flaked salmon, roast chicken breast, or chickpeas even!
If you want a thinner sauce, just add more milk or pasta water
Vegans: Replace parmesan with nutritional yeast and you're all good to go
The peppers can be really REALLY hot when working with them. If you're impatient, you may burn yourself (like I did). Take time to let them cool down if possible.
The peppers are meant to look black on the outside - don't stress when that happens. Also - yes, i really mean 260 degrees celsius. That hot. Be wary of the oven.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound of pasta (I used spaghetti)
3 Red Bell Peppers
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
3 mild red chillies, thinly sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 a cup of almond milk
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
1/2 cup of chives, finely chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 260℃ (500℉)
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place your peppers on it. Put them in the oven for 25-30 minutes.* Once done. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with aluminium foil for 10 minutes (this allows them to sweat so you can easily remove the skin). After 10 minutes, peel the charred outer skin off of the peppers. Remove the seeds on the inside so you are left with the flesh of the peppers.
*Whilst the peppers are cooking, place a deep frying pan over medium heat. Heat up your olive oil until it's shimmering. Add in your onions and sauté until soft (about 3-5 minutes). Then throw in a large pinch of salt and pepper, the chilli flakes, the oregano, the garlic, and 2/3rds of the chillies for 1 more minute.
Lift the garlic, onions, and chillies out of the pan and into a blender - leaving the olive oil in the pan.
Add your roasted peppers to the blender with your almond milk. Blend everything together until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
Boil your pasta in salted water until al dente. Once cooked, toss the pasta in your pan with the oil and turn up to a medium heat.
Throw in a few tablespoons of your pasta water and your red pepper sauce. Once fully heated through - stir in the parmesan.
Serve with the fresh chives and the remaining chillies whilst hot.
ENJOY!!
Stay Salty,
Romy x