Penne Pasta with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce ( Indian Twist )

I crave for pasta very often..The cool thing about pasta is whatever you add is completely absorbed by those starchy pasta and makes it flavourful. Specially I love Del Monte Penne Pasta because the hollowness in this pasta scoops up more sauce and each mouthful will just explode as you take a bite.

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I tried a different sauce apart from the normal tomato sauce. I char grilled red bell peppers and used that as my base, there is something in the smokyness of the pepper which gives a nice flavour to the sauce.  I added some cashews to give a extra texture and it makes the sauce creamy.  I throwed some roasted cumin powder and chilli flakes to a little kick and lift. The whole different flavours gets combined when it hits the hot pasta and makes it YUMMY..

I made this specially for The Del Monte Blogger Recipe Carnival by  Indi blogger. You can read more about their products and stuffs by clicking here.. I hope you will love this as much I did and tell me how it turned out for you.

Ingredients:

Del Monte Penne Pasta - 2 cups dried

Red Bell Pepper - 2

Tomatoes - 3 medium size

Garlic - 5 cloves minced

Cashew Nuts - 10 pieces

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Flakes - 1 tsp

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Honey - 1 tblspn

Olive Oil - 3 tblspn

Coriander Leaves - a handful chopped

Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup

Method:

Spray some oil over pepper and char them in open flame till their skin gets completely charred. Remove them to a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap. After 10 mins, remove them and peel off the charred skin and chop them.

Heat olive oil in a pan and add in garlic. Saute them for a min.

Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 mins.

Now add in salt, pepper, cumin powder and red chilli flakes.

Add in cashews pieces and mix well.

Now add in the chopped red bell pepper and mix well.

Transfer this to a food processor and drizzle in the honey.

Blend this till they turn into a pulp but still have some texture.

Now cook your pasta as per package instructions, don't forget to add lots of salt while cooking pasta.

Drain the pasta and transfer them to a bowl.

Add in the sauce and toss well.

Sprinkle in lots of coriander leaves and cheese and mix well.

Serve hot.

Pictorial:

Take all your stuffs

I used Del Monte's Penne Pasta, because they scoop up the sauce better

Start by roasting your red bell peppers

spray them lightly with oil

place them on open flame and char them

transfer them to a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap

now peel off the chared skin

and chop em

Now make the sauce...Saute some garlic in olive oil

add in tomatoes

season with salt and pepper

add in cumin powder

and some chilli flakes

now add in cashews

and fry them in the oil

throw in the bell peppers

and give a stir

transfer this to a food processor

I almost forgot this..add in some honey..

and puree them..I love the texture which you get when you make a sauce in food processor

Now lets cook the pasta...Boil plenty of water with salt

add in pasta

and cook them

drain it

and transfer this to a large bowl

pour the sauce over

and toss with the hot pasta

throw lots of cilantro

and cheese

mix well

and plate up..