Thursday, November 30, 2006

Request for pasta recipe

First off...it's been a while. I lost my job recently and it's been a bit crazy. However, no matter how bad life gets there is still time for food. Hmm...that statement right there probably holds the key to solving my ever constant battle of the bulge.

So weeks after chatting to my good friend in SF and him asking for a pasta recipe. He loves olives (basta maraming olives) chaka seafood and vegetables. Hmm...fine. He is a good friend so I'll indulge (hehehe pis sir yoday)

Pasta sauce
1 can tomatoes
Tomato paste
1 cup sour cream
oregano
basil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 medium sized white onion
salt
pepper

Pasta ingredients
1 medium sized Squid
10 Prawns
100 g Mussels, cooked and de-shelled
1 Chorizo
1/2 Carrot, diced
1/2 Courgette (zucchini), diced
1/2 Eggplant, diced
1/2 Red bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
1/2 Yellow bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
Olives
Capers
Garlic

Spaghetti

For the pasta sauce:
1. Cut the onion into small cubes. A trick I learned while working in the greenhouse: Peel the layers of the onion, slice into strips then dice into small cubes. It's easier to make your cuts uniform this way.
2. Mince the garlic. Peel the garlic then smash with the flat side of the knife. An even better trick is to smash it with the underside of a clean pan. Chop into small pieces.
3. Chop the herbs.
4. Saute the onions in a deep pan. When transparent add the garlic and herbs.
5. Add the tomato paste and mix well with the onions. Saute until the tomato paste starts to release oil. (Around 1 minute)
6. Add the tomatoes and simmer. Reduce one third of the juices. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the ingredients:
1. Cut the onions into small cubes as above.
2. Mince the garlic.
3. Cut the squid into rings.
4. Remove the mussel meat and reserve.
5. Dice the chorizo.
6. Saute the chorizo. When the oil is released add the onions until transparent. Add the garlic.
7. Saute the prawns, when almost cooked add the squid. Add the cooked mussels. Reserve.
8. Saute the carrots, courgette, eggplant and bellpepper according to cooking time. When the vegetables are cooked add the capers (1 tablespoon) and olives. Add the reserved seafood.
9. Pour the tomato sauce over the seafood and vegetables. Add the sour cream until desired thickness and taste is achieved.
10. Season to taste.

Follow the cooking instructions for the pasta. When cooked, drain and add to the sauce. Mix well until the sauce coats the pasta. You can also toss the pasta with olive oil and pour the sauce over the pasta before serving.