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Sweet pepper & olive pasta

After a big blow-out family lunch yesterday (13 adults and 2 wee-ones - 4 courses and copious amounts of wine) I felt that a bit of frugality, in terms of our usual gluttony was required. So I thought I’d just throw something together from the fridge and lo and behold - an unexpected, veritable feast was created - we had 3 day old bread, some anchovies (brought back from Positano), some of the lovely tomatoes from Saturday, some mozzarella (almost past it’s use-by date) and from that some very tasty bruschetta was made. There was also a pepper and some wonderful Gaeta olives. With my store-cupboard ingredients of lovely, fruity EVO oil, penne pasta, fresh basil & garlic I made an old favourite dish - and very enjoyable it was too!

Sugo ingredients

Bruschetta

Ingredients -

For the Bruschetta:

  • 6 slices stale bread, toasted

  • 4 anchovy fillets

  • 1/4 ball buffala mozzarella, thinly sliced

  • 1 ripe tomato

  • a few leaves of basil

  • A drizzle of EVO oil

  • 1 garlic clove

  • Salt & pepper to taste

For the pasta sauce:

  • 60g EVO oil

  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped

  • 1/2 a large pepper (or 2 Romano peppers), finely sliced

  • A handful of olives (of your choice)

  • 2 chopped ripe tomatoes

  • 4 leaves shredded basil

  • Grated Parmesan

Method -

For the Bruschetta:

  1. Rub all the toasted bread with the garlic

  2. Chop 1/2 a tomato and mix with finely chopped garlic & basil

  3. Slice the other half tomato

  4. On 2 slices of the toasted bread,lay the anchovy

  5. On 2 other slices, add the chopped tomato & basil mix

  6. On the last 2, lay tomato alternated with mozzarella, add chopped basil

  7. On the last 2 types of bruschetta, drizzle with EVO oil

Hey presto!

For the pasta sauce:

  1. Heat the oil over a low gas, add garlic and peppers and leave to slowly cook for about 20 minutes

  2. Add chopped tomatoes & olives and cook until the oil reaches the surface

  3. Just before serving add the basil leaves

  4. 2 minutes before pasta is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove from the water and toss into the sugo. Cook for a further couple of minutes and add some of the pasta water elixir required. Add some of the grated cheese to the dish for further piquancy.

  5. Finish with grated cheese and chilli flakes (if required)


CATHERINE'S
COOKING TIPS

#1 

Shop local and try to use seasonal ingredients - they will be freshest and most economical

 

#2

Buy the best you can afford - even if it means making do with less.

 

#3

Keep it simple - and as unprocessed as possible.  Butter and E.V. Olive Oil over margarine, spreads and processed vegetable oils, 

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