So I, in no way, was looking to move over tomato sauce. I love tomatoes. Even in burgers. I can have them raw, with cheese, in eggs. It’s called growth. BUT, the minute I tried this smoky sauce made out of red bell peppers, my mind immediately wanted to dethrone tomatoes as a pasta base. I think I have already given the USP away and it is the fact that the bell pepper adds smokiness, along with a creaminess that you would not expect from a pepper. So here it is, my take and humble attempt of the red pepper pasta with cottage cheese and basil recipe.
You want to get to the recipe. I do too but read this.
– This is strictly a one-person recipe because I mostly cook for myself, unless I’m looking for compliments.
– Secondly, SEASONING is important and personal and subjective. You got to know your salt and pepper and chilli flakes requirement. If you don’t, that’s fine but then what you have to do is a thing called taste-test (and adjust accordingly) before you sit down to eat.
Ingredients List for Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
The following will be good for 1 person
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp cream (+ 0.5 if need be)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt (that’s my jam)
- Black pepper
- Garlic Cloves (6 minimum)
- Pasta water (this is leftover water from the pan you have cooked your pasta in)
- Cottage cheese (ricotta or burrata would also be great)
- Basil (dill would work too)
Part 1: Roasting
Step 1:
Place your red bell pepper (cut in half) and onions (chopped) on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Drizzle it with some olive oil and spread the veggies around so it coats them evenly.
Bake in an oven at 350 F till the onions and red bell pepper get charred.
Step 2:
The onions will get charred first, so you can take them out earlier while the red bell pepper continues to get roasted. Add the charred onions to a blender.
Simultaneously, put your pasta in a pot with boiling water so it cooks as you make your sauce.
Step 3:
Once the red bell pepper is charred too, add it to the blender which has onions and then blitz it till it turns into a creamy, sauce-like consistency.
Step 4:
In a pan, add a tbsp or so of olive oil and add your chopped garlic cloves to saute them till golden brown.
Step 5:
Add your blended sauce to the sauteed garlic and add a tbsp of cream, along with some pasta water (from the pot where your pasta is cooking).
Step 6:
Add 1 tsp of pink salt, 1 tsp of black pepper and 1 tsp of red chilli flakes. Mix it with a wooden spoon. If the sauce looks like it can loosen up a little, add more pasta water. If it looks too watery, you can leave it to slow cook for longer till it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 7:
Taste the sauce and adjust for seasoning.
Part 2: Conjuring The Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Step 1:
Once the sauce has the seasoning and consistency you want, add your cooked pasta to the mix.
Step 2:
Let it cook for 2-3 minutes and the sauce will cling to the pasta like so.
Step 3:
Plate out your roasted red pepper pasta and top with cottage cheese and basil and maybe just a little more black pepper for that final kick.
The Final Step
Enjoy! Hopefully, your roasted red pepper pasta with cottage cheese and basil is READY.
So there you have it! A step-by-step of the pasta that I’m now going to make more often. This is smoky, creamy and peppery! Do you have a favourite pasta sauce? Let me know below.
Try this recipe out and tag me on our instagram at @hungryinkarachi.
Read More: This is how I make chimichurri.
Products Relevant To This Recipe:
A Toaster Oven
A non-stick pan
