Orecchiette with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I made this for dinner tonight. It was unbelievably delicious. Neither of my children would eat it.


sad, sad leftovers

3 red bell peppers
1/2 lb orecchiette pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 small red onion, chopped
Salt and white pepper
1/2 tsp bouillon concentrate (optional, but adds depth of flavor)
1/2 c half-and-half
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
Romano or other hard grating cheese

Cut bell peppers in half, removing stems, white ribs and seeds. Place skin side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Broil 4-5 minutes or until skins have almost completely blackened. Remove from oven, cover sheet pan with a dishtowel and let stand at least 10 minutes. Slip blackened skins from peppers and discard. Roughly chop roasted peppers. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving a bit of cooking water.

While pasta cooks, saute garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat for 30 seconds, or until garlic begins to become translucent. Add red onion; increase heat to medium and cook until translucent. Add chopped roasted red peppers; saute a moment or two to blend flavors. Season with salt and white pepper. Remove to a food processor or blender jar. Add bouillon concentrate and half-and-half; puree until smooth. Return sauce to pan; keep warm over low heat.

When pasta is cooked, stir it into the pot of sauce. Mix well, separating any pasta ears that have stuck together. Dish pasta evenly into four bowls. Top with pine nuts and basil. Using a vegetable peeler, shave Romano cheese atop pasta. Serves 4.