Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Pasta with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce


This is one of my very favorite pasta dishes.  It is quick (ready in under 30 minutes, with minimal chopping)!  But it is also a little elegant and different, with rich and full Mediterranean flavors  I make this often for a weeknight meal, but, now that I think of it, I wonder why I haven't served it to guests.  Wouldn't it be fabulous in one of those cool Mediterranean style pasta bowls that I always covet from Williams-Sonoma?

This is another Ellie Krieger recipe, but it's from an earlier book, The Food You Crave.  And I definitely crave this dish often!
Pasta with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
serves 4-6
from The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger


Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16oz) jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
13 oz whole wheat spaghetti or fettucine
salt
freshly ground black pepper
parsley

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt generously once boiling, and cook and drain the pasta to package directions.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet.  Saute the onion until soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic in during the last minute of cooking.
3. Add in the roasted red peppers and the stock.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until heated through.
4. Add in the feta cheese, reserving 2 Tbsp. and heat for an additional 30 seconds.
5. In a food processor (or using an immersion blender), puree the sauce.  Add in salt and pepper to taste.
6. Return the sauce to the skillet.  Stir in the pasta, and toss vigorously until coated.  Add in a little pasta water, as needed, if the sauce is too thick.
7. Serve in bowls, topped with the reserved feta cheese and chopped parsley.

10 comments:

  1. I remember seeing this dish before, and I liked the sound of the creamy red pepper sauce!

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  2. What a gorgeous looking meal. The sauce sounds outstanding. I hope you have a great evening. Blessings...Mary

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  3. How much feta cheese is used in this recipe??

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  4. Whoops -- I just added the feta cheese! Sorry about that.

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  5. I love creamy sauces, especially ones that cook in less than 30 minutes!

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  6. Yum! I have that book! I need to try this.

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  7. Yep, this would be one I would crave too!

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  8. The smooth red pepper sauce sounds fantastic with the feta. Love how quickly this dish comes together too!

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  9. I made a pasta with red pepper sauce once before, but I wasn't impressed by it. This recipe looks a lot better though! I'll give this one a try.

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  10. I love roasted red peppers and this sounds wonderful. Love the Ellie Krieger recipes.

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