I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now, but there are very few guilt dishes that I don’t like! Pasta is my favourite and so is spicy food! This recipe is one of my go-to dishes when I don’t want to fuss around too much, make quickly and settle onto the couch in front of the telly.
This entire dish is made in just one pot, without much effort. The tomatoes are paired with a lot of red chilli flakes and red jalapenos and salty capers and olives. It’s something in between a Puttanesca and Arrabiata, but with some cream. You can use any kind of pasta and veggies, although usually stick to just some spinach. What I like about this recipe is that, firstly it’s all done in one pot, and the starchy pasta water lends brilliantly to the sauce. Adding the spinach in this has a nutritional value – spinach is high in Vitamin B12, which is soluble in water. Hence, all that B12 is going into your pasta sauce.
This time I experimented with pasta made with quinoa flour – which means its gluten free, protein packed and friendlier to the body. Whizz a few tomatoes in the blender, chop spinach, garlic and onions, and that’s about it.
Cook the flavours first and then add the pasta, and then the water and cook to them all together. Pour in the tomato puree and then the spinach and at the end, for some creaminess, a few spoons of cream or milk.
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- Recipe Serves
Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins
- Recipe Ingredients
1 ½ cup quinoa pasta, uncooked
2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 cup crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
3 tbsp dried basil
3 tbsp dried oregano
½ cup spinach, chopped
Olives
Capers
Red jalapenos
4-5 tbsp milk or cream (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt + pepper
Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
- Recipe Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot with the garlic.
When the garlic becomes fragrant add the onions, chilli flakes and herbs and stir to cook.
Then add the pasta in and in and coat them with the flavours.
Add the water and salt and stir.
Let the pasta cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 10 minutes, the water would have evaporated. Add the crushed tomatoes, spinach, olives, capers and red jalapenos.
Keep stirring the pasta gently to combine well for at least another 10 minutes.
One the pasta is completely cooked and the sauce is of desired consistency, add the milk or cream. (This is optional)
Serve hot with pepper and Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
