Fileja Pasta with Chorizo and Bell Pepper Sauce

Best thing about this recipe is that you can make the sauce ahead and store in either the fridge or freezer. Perhaps prep the sauce during the weekends. When hunger calls, just heat it up and mix in cooked pasta right before meal time. For sure this recipe can save you from hassles during hectic working days.

Fileja pasta with chorizo and bell pepper sauce -

Ingredients (about 5 to 6 portions)?

• 500 grams/1 pack tri-color fileja pasta (can be substitute with other type of short pasta)
• 0.4 lb chorizo
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 purple onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoon chopped basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Some aged Parmigiano Reggiano

How?

Peel and slice the onion. Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves. Cut the chorizo into smaller pieces. Remove the seeds and ribs from bell peppers and cut into smaller pieces too. Finely chop the basil and parsley.

Bring a big pot or pan, drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in onion, chorizo, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Turn to medium high heat and sear till some of that red oil starts to render from chorizo.

Add in garlic and bell pepper, continue to sear for another minute or so.

Pour in drained dice tomatoes and cook for few more minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in chopped basil and parsley. Let the whole thing cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.

Scoop these ingredients to the food processor. Give it a few pulses and blend till nearly smooth, small chunks are fine, which and add a rustic touch to the dish. If prepping the sauce ahead of time, simply store the sauce to the fridge and serve in three days, or store in the freezer for up to weeks.

Meanwhile, prepare a big pot of water and add in few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and cook the pasta till almost al dente.

Back to our blended sauce, pour that back into the pot and turn to medium heat to slowly heat it up. When the pasta is ready, drain well and pour the pasta right into the red sauce. Mix till combined and cook for another minute, so the pasta and the sauce and bind together.

Plate the pasta and grate some aged Parmigiano Reggiano all over right before serving.

It's totally a western dish, but somehow after I drizzled some Tabasco sauce over the pasta, the red sauce taste very similar to a Taiwanese spicy ground pork canned food. Who would have thought such a foreign meal can bring out my Asian childhood memories?


Other pasta recipes:

• Chicken Alfredo with spinach and button mushrooms
• Casarecce with pancetta and chanterelle
• Bucatini pasta with meatballs and tomato sauce
• Cavatelli soup with ground chicken and tons of veggies