Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
A spicy roasted red pepper pasta sauce that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Topped with loads of fresh basil and shaved parmesan. To make it even more hearty and flavorful, add browned Italian sausage. Adapted from [Food Network|http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/quick-and-easy-roasted-red-pepper-pasta.html].
Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound of pasta (like penne, farfalle, rigatoni, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste; I like this spicy)
- 1 (16 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade (rolled and sliced into ribbons)
- 1/2 cup parmesan shavings
Instructions
Set a large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions.
In the meantime, heat the oil and butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the garlic, onions, and red pepper flakes together until the onions are translucent. Add the roasted red peppers to the pan and cook until heated through. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender along with the chicken broth, salt, and pepper to taste. Whirl until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and heat through. Stir in the half and half. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed. Stir in half of the fresh basil, reserving the other half for topping each dish.
Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the roasted red pepper sauce. Serve the pasta promptly topped with more fresh basil and a generous amount of parmesan shavings (this dish is best with copious amounts of both fresh basil and parmesan).