Spaghetti with Charred Peppers in a Spiced White Sauce

P.A.S.T.A - What's not to like about this magical word ? Why magical you ask - for seldom have I seen my daughter say no to it and the fact that I always sneak in a load of veggies to up it's health quotient has never dettered her from devouring it. Delighting the world with about 600 different shapes and forms, I find pastas simple to cook, fun to dress up and delicious to eat.I am sure that most of you will agree with me when I say that one can never get bored with pasta; springing a hearty and satisfying dish is fun because it is open to so many make overs. If you are that sort of person who loves to make pasta from a scratch, then the pleasure of eating the final dish gets even more delightful. However stocking the pantry with dry pasta available in so many varieties is equally satisfying. 

Do you know that eating pasta dates back very long ago – as far as 400 BC?

The Avant Garde Week 3 : Month 1 - Secret Ingredient challenge had me paired with Radhika. And guess what was the lady's choice for me - "Pasta" of course. While I definitely need no excuse to dish out pasta frequently, the challenge saw me pretty excited because hubby decided to don the aprons for a change. So while the kitchen saw a whole lot of buzz under his helm, yours truly just took the opportunity to relax with Harry Potter for company :D

The pasta he used was made with durum wheat which is a bundle of fibre content and  lends a nutty flavor to the dish.

To add to the magic of the pasta, he charred some peppers on the stove top. The smoky flavour of the peppers elevated the dish a couple of notches.

What's in it :-

(Serves: 4 , Preparation Time : 30 minutes, Cooking Time : 10 minutes)

• Spaghetti - 200 to 250 grams
• Bell Pepper - Green/Yellow/Red - 1 each - diced in to medium sized chunks
• Onion - 1 large - diced
• Green Chillis - 2 to taste (To make it hot)
• Salt - to taste
• Capers - As Required
• Olives - Green/Black - As Required
• Olive Oil - 2-3 tbsp
• Mozzarella - 25 grams (approx - grated) 

For the Sauce :-

• Butter (Salted) - 50 grams
• All Purpose Flour - 50 grams
• Milk - 1/2 litre
• Oregano - 3 grams
• Red chilli flakes - 3 grams
• Wild Thyme - 1 pinch
• Aromatic Rosemary - 1 pinch
• Basil - 1 pinch
• Chives - 1 pinch

Here's How :-

In a heavy bottomed vessel add butter and as it melts add the flour. This is called as Roux. Add the herbs and seasonings to the roux. Boil milk and add this to the roux to make a sauce. (Strain if required) 

In a heavy bottomed pan, add olive oil, tip in the diced onions and add green chillis when the onions are translucent. Add the charred bell peppers, saute and then add the cooked spaghetti and mix well. Add the sauce and mix well. Then tip in the capers and olives and give it a good swirl.

Adjust the seasonings, add the Mozzarella cheese and mix well. Garnish with Olives before serving.

E.N.J.O.Y

Linking it to Reshmi's Around the world - Italian guest hosted by Renuka