Saucy Love

The ever popular pasta is a carbohydrate rich Italian dish made out of durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs. Generally sauces like pesto, marinara or cream sauce go well with pasta like spaghetti, and vermicelli. Tubular and shorter pasta shapes hold well thicker robust sauces like bologonese or ragu, Here’s an array of sauces you could toss your pasta with.

Bombay Mafia Masala

Ingredients

• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 capsicum, cubed
• 1 tomato, cubed
• 1 potato, boiled and cubed
• 2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp chilli sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp oregano

Method

Heat butter in a pan, and add the onions, garlic and green chilies, and sauté. Add the tomato, potato and capsicum cubes and mix. After a minute, add the sauce mixture and sauté again. Add the pasta along with the ginger, and stir well on high heat. Lastly mix in the lemon juice. Serve hot.

Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1 capsicum, chopped finely
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup tomato purée
• 1 cup of boiled kidney beans, coarsely mashed
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp red chilli sauce
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• Cheese to serve
• 200 gm pasta, boiled according to packet instructions

Method 

• Heat butter in a pan, and sauté the onion, garlic, celery and capsicum.
• Add all the other ingredients except cheese and pasta. Add one cup of water and simmer for half an hour till a thick rich sauce is formed.
• Adjust consistency by adding more water if required. Now add in the cheese.
• Serve over freshly cooked pasta with more cheese sprinkled on top.

Cheesy Spinach Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp maida
• ¼ cup spinach purée
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup cheese
• 1 garlic pod
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• Salt as per taste  

Method

• In a small sauce-pan melt the butter, over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and add maida in the pan. Stir until the butter and flour are mixed well.
• Pour in the milk, stirring constantly. As it thickens, add the spinach puree.
• Now add the herbs and salt. Serve with fresh hot pasta.
• Garnish with grated cheese.

Arrabiata Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped and blanched  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato purée or tomato ketchup
• Salt
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tsp chilli flakes

Method                                                                                                                        

• Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the garlic. Stir and add in the onions, and cook till it turns golden.
• Add the tomatoes and basil. Allow to cook till mushy. Add the tomato puree, oregano, salt and the red chilli flakes and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and serve with fresh pasta.

Peri-Peri Cheesy Pasta & Garlic Bread

Ingredients
For the sauce

• 2 red capsicum
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 cups white sauce
• 1 cup cheese, grated
• 1 tsp vinegar
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For garlic bread crumbs:

• 2 cups fresh crumbled bread
• 2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp chopped parsley
• 200 g freshly cooked pasta to serve

Method

• Roast the capsicum, tomato and onion in an oven or open flame, skin and chop finely.
• Blend coarsely and mix with chilli powder, pepper and vinegar.
• Add ½ cup of water and simmer for five minutes.
• Mix with the white sauce and cheese while hot, to get a cheesy sauce.
• Heat the butter in a pan, add garlic and sauté. Add the bread crumbs and toast in the pan on a very low flame till crisp.
• Toss the pasta in the sauce.
• Arrange on a plate, sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and serve.