Name: Roasted pepper pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 roasted or grilled red peppers; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 shallot or ½ red onion; 1 celery; 1 clove of garlic; 1 medium tomato; 1 baby courgette (or ½ small); 1 red chilli (optional); 1 handful of parsley or basil; 300g pasta of your choice

Roasted pepper pasta

2 Aug 2016

by Dinna

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

20 minutes

Background

In the summer, when the markets are full of cheap red peppers, I buy a lot and roast, grill or barbecue them. Then I store them in a jar and use them for salads, frittatas, stews, fritters and pasta dishes. They are also ideal for soups and pasta sauces. This roasted pepper pasta is a quick and easy recipe - while the pasta is cooking, the pepper sauce is done. I served it with gluten-free tagliatelle, but you can use any type of pasta. This dish is dairy-free and meat-free too, so it's perfect for vegans and dieters. Mind you, if you want meat or fish, just add some leftover grilled /roasted chicken or prawns to the sauce and you'll get a lovely meal! If you don't have homemade roasted peppers, just use shop-bought ones from a jar.

Ingredients

3 roasted or grilled red peppers
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or ½ red onion
1 celery
1 clove of garlic
1 medium tomato
1 baby courgette (or ½ small)
1 red chilli (optional)
1 handful of parsley or basil
300g pasta of your choice

Instructions

Slice the pepper and set aside a handful for serving.
Finely chop the onion, celery, tomato, courgette, garlic and chilli (if used).
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and celery and ( under cover) gently sauté until soft. Add the garlic, (chilli), courgette and tomato and cook for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the roasted pepper to warm through. Season with salt and pepper and add the fresh herbs. Using a stick blender, blend into a textured paste. Stir in the pepper slices that you've set aside and keep warm under cover.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain and combine with the pepper sauce. Warm through and serve.
You can serve it with some Parmesan shavings or toasted pine nuts if you like.