Romano peppers with green chillis
Romano peppers with green chillis
by Elda Abramson

Red sauce for pasta

Taken from "Vegetable Heaven" by Catherine Mason
(Pauntley Prints, 2002, ISBN: 0-9534879-3-6, price £20.00)
[other sample recipes]
This is a recipe from Andrew, my husband. Fusion food in the extreme, it combines Mediterranean vegetables, Greek yogurt, Italian cheese, Franco-German wine and oriental chillies for good measure. I thought it sounded like a complete dog's breakfast when he reeled off the list of ingredients, but the proof of the pudding as they say... It was delicious, and I ate my critical words along with the pasta. Perhaps regional authenticity is a subject about which cookery writers tend to be too precious?
  • 30–40 g roasted pine kernels
  • 2 Romano or other red peppers, washed, de-seeded and chopped
  • 1 large or 2 small red onions, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large mild green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 15 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 glass (about 220 ml) Gewürztraminer
  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • fresh grated Parmesan cheese to serve
  1. To roast the pine kernels pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Spread out the kernels in a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 5–7 minutes. Use a timer, as they burn very easily.
  2. Sauté the peppers, onions, chilli and garlic together for a few minutes in the oil and butter. Add about 1 teaspoon salt and the wine, then cook gently for about 30–40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the wine much reduced. Season to taste and stir in the yogurt, tarragon and pine nuts just before serving.
  3. Serve the sauce on hot, plain pasta with a crisp side salad and pass around the Parmesan cheese and the leftover Gewürztraminer.
SERVES 2

Recipe copyright © 2002 Catherine Mason | other sample recipes