Orecchiette (Little Ears Pasta) With Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
Orecchiette with creamy red pepper sauce is an easy and flavorful vegetarian pasta dish that combines the unique texture of orecchiette pasta with the rich flavor of roasted red peppers. The bell peppers are roasted until they are soft and slightly charred, which brings out their natural sweetness. Then, they are blended with heavy cream, garlic, pine nuts, tomato paste, basil, and parmesan cheese. This yields a smooth sauce which perfectly complements the chewy and slightly rough texture of the orecchiette. The hollow shape of the pasta collects the rich and creamy sauce and turns this into a comforting and satisfying pasta dish, using only a few ingredients.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Put the vegetables in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Mix until evenly coated. Roast the vegetables in the oven on the middle rack under the broiler at 220° C for around 20-25 minutes, or until soft and charred on the outside.
Step 2
Remove the baking dish from the oven and cover it with foil. Let the peppers cool down and steam for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until cool enough to touch. Peel the peppers and discard the skin. Removing the skin creates a smoother and creamier sauce.
Step 3
Transfer the peppers and onions to a blender. Add the heavy cream, pine nuts, basil leaves, tomato paste, garlic and grated parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm the red pepper sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until gently simmering. Cook the pasta until al dente. If you use homemade orecchiette, keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Keep an eye on it and check it frequently. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spider to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
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Orecchiette (Little Ears Pasta) with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
Equipment
- Baking dish – to roast the red peppers and onion.
- Aluminum foil – to cover the baking dish and steam the peppers after roasting.
- Blender or food processor – to blend the ingredients into a smooth and velvety sauce.
- Pot and large saucepan – to cook the pasta and toss it with the sauce until evenly coated.
Ingredients
- 600 g Fresh Orecchiette or about 400 g dried pasta – To make orecchiette you need 400 g fine semolina flour and 200 g water.
- 3 Red bell peppers
- 1 Onion – yellow or white.
- 2 tbsp Olive oil – extra virgin.
- 200 ml Heavy cream
- 1 – 2 Garlic cloves
- 5 Fresh basil leaves
- 70 g Parmesan cheese – freshly grated.
- 50 g Pine nuts
- 1 tsp Tomato paste
- Salt and pepper – to taste.
Instructions
- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Put the vegetables in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Mix until evenly coated. Roast the vegetables in the oven on the middle rack under the broiler at 220° C for around 20-25 minutes, or until soft and charred on the outside.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and cover it with foil. Let the peppers cool down and steam for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until cool enough to touch. Peel the peppers and discard the skin. Removing the skin creates a smoother and creamier sauce.
- Transfer the peppers and onions to a blender. Add the heavy cream, pine nuts, basil leaves, tomato paste, garlic and grated parmesan cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm the red pepper sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until gently simmering. Cook the pasta until al dente. If you use homemade orecchiette, keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta. Keep an eye on it and check it frequently. Use a slotted spoon or pasta spider to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Toss and stir until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
