Friday, February 6, 2009

Fusilli in red bell pepper sauce

Admittedly, it is a bad - very bad - idea to do a post on an empty stomach. Worse still, to do a post on pasta when you are actually having something else for dinner. Gosh..I am actually drooling all over the keyboard!!


I absolutely love pasta. Give it to me anytime, anywhere. I will lick the plate clean and ask for more. Yes, even if it has brocolli in it.


In fact, don't think I know anyone who doesn't like pasta.
Or do I?
Casts an accusing look at the husband - lets call him Terradaze, shall we? Well, Terradaze doesn't care too much for pasta. And that's putting it rather mildly.


So, pasta is not something you'd find me cooking for the two of us. And while I don't quite fancy cooking just for myself, there are times when I will happily spend a lot of time browsing several recipes to cook just one bowl of pasta.





Ingredients:


Red bell pepper - 3
Onion - 1
garlic - 2 large cloves, chopped
cream - 1/3 cup
fat free cheese slices - 2
tobasco sauce or chilli flakes, italian seasoning and salt - to taste
sundried tomatoes - 50 gms
olive oil - 1 tbsp
chicken - 2 drumsticks, boiled and de-boned, optional
black pitted olives - 1 tbsp
grated cheese - for garnish
pasta (preferably fusilli or penne) - 200 gms


Method:

Cut the bell into half, de-seed and coat with a bit of oil. Pre-heat the oven to 175 degC and grill the peppers till the skin is blackened. (Altenatively, insert a skewer and roast over the gas flame).

Place them in a ziploc bag for about 15-20 mins. Once cool, peel and chop the peppers.

Heat oil and add the garlic and the onion and saute till the onion turns translucent. Add the peppers and saute for about 5 minutes. Blend to a puree. Return to the pan, add the cream, cheese slices, sundried tomatoes, chicken (if using) and the seasonings - the addition of sundried tomatoes gives the sauce a lovely tartness. . Simmer for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente . I normally cook my pasta in chicken/vegetable stock (or by adding a stock cube), it enhances the flavour of the pasta. Toss with the prepared sauce and garnish with black olives and parmesan cheese. I like to chill my pasta for a bit before settling on the sofa and slurping it!


Sending this to Ruth for Presto Pasta Nights.




18 comments:

  1. Very nice! Good looking pasta with bell pepper sauce! Slurp! :)

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  2. bell pepper sauce sure sounds great... yummmo

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  3. Yum, pasta with bell pepper sauce sounds fantastic...loved your idea of cooking pasta in veg stock will give it a try the next time I make pasta :-)

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  4. will try with your sauce recipe sounds good..do you buy vegetable stock or make at home?

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  5. I made from Indira's blog bell pepper and peanut sauce for pasta, that was absolutely delish. I Love the bell sauce nice twist of ur tomato sauce.

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  6. I love bell pepper as anything, fusili with bell pepper sauce looks really delish..

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  7. Awesome. I like pasta. Period. :D

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  8. I too love pasta..,Sauce recipe sounds gud..

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  9. uys, glad you liked this one! Preety, i use homemade stock, if I dont have any on hand, I use the ready made stock cubes.

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  10. looks neat and gorgeous dear.. sounds tasty.

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  11. Pasta looks wonderful! Tempting picture.. I have something for u in my blog, pls accept!

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  12. hi aquadaze! thank you for leaving a comment in my blog. nice to know you! :-)

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  13. Your Honey doesn't like pasta....hmmmmm. He obviously doesn't know what he's missing. Thanks for sharing this "pasta for one" dish. It looks perfectly wonderful.

    And thanks for playing Presto Pasta Nights.

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  14. Love the red pepper sauce. Especially, since it's roasted. I make a version of this with chorizo. Great, now I'm hungry again :)

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  15. This is a grea recipe on How To Make Pepper Sauce My mother taught me this. I think it will go great with your dish. great

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