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flamePorkVegetarianPasta30–60 mins
Smoky Red Pepper Pasta with Vegetarian Sausage
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
Serves4
Method
Steps
- Set the oven broiler to high. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and stems, then place the halves cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Broil the peppers for 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet mid-way through, until the skins are completely blackened. (Alternatively, if you have a gas stovetop, carefully char the whole peppers directly over the flame, using tongs to rotate them until blackened.)
- Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a dish towel. Let them steam for 10 minutes.
- When the peppers are still warm but cool enough to handle, remove the skins—they should peel off easily.
- Transfer the peppers and the stock to a blender and purée until very smooth. Set aside.
- Make the sauce & start the pasta
- Start bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high. Add the sausage pieces and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break them up even more in the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Follow with the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally and scraping up any remaining sausage pieces from the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, no more than a minute. Then add the tomato paste and cook an additional minute until it darkens in color, stirring frequently. If the garlic starts to brown, turn down the heat and add a splash of water or wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Return the sausage to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Stir to combine, and simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the red pepper purée, along with the spices and a pinch of salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water and follow with the pasta. Stir for a few seconds to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente—usually a couple of minutes before the package directions—and taste a piece every so often to check for doneness.
- Finish the dish
- Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the cream and season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly to the sauce, along with a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water. Turn the heat back on to medium-low and toss to coat. Cook the pasta in the sauce for another minute or two to meld the flavors. Add more pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Serve immediately, topped with finely grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Originally published at food52.com. Reproduced for personal collection.
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