Recipe: ZIti with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Its cold outside and I don't have enough propane in the tank left over from last winter to turn the heat on. So instead I am sitting in bed with a sweater on with the dogs close by and writing about food. This is a great easy just a few ingredient dish that you probably have already in hand. It takes about as long to make as it does to boil your pasta water. Perfect quick late home from work get dinner on the table fast kind of recipe. 

Ziti with Red Pepper Cream Sauce

serves 2

1 medium onion chopped coarse

3 garlic cloves sliced

1 small jar roasted red pepper (my jar had one large pepper in it if you are roasting a fresh one)

1 tbs olive oil

8 oz pasta of your choice

½ cup cream (half and half is fine heavy cream would be great too)

1/4 cup parm or pecorino whatever you have on hand

salt

fresh ground black pepper

Fresh Basil if you have no big deal if you dont

more cheese

Bring water to boil in a pot you cook pasta in.

Over medium heat in a medium/large saute pan cook onions and garlic in olive oil until soft about 5-10 minutes. I usually add a bit of salt to get the onions juices flowing. 

Drain roasted pepper (s) and cut into chunks and toss in pan to heat through.

Puree pepper/onion/garlic mixture in food processor or with hand blender until smooth.

Meanwhile cook chosen pasta to chosen doneness.

In the same pan that you sauteed the vegetables in heat red pepper puree until it comes back to the bubble turn heat down to low add cream and heat until warm turn off heat and add cheese.

Drain pasta add to sauce and coat. You might want to save a bit of the pasta water just in case the sauce is too thick. Adjust to your taste with salt and maybe some fresh basil if you have it.

Serve with a good grinding of black pepper and of course more cheese.