Red Velvet Pasta – Lizet Hartley

Lizet Hartley can always be relied upon for a colourful and flavour packed dish.  A quirky food writer and blogger, she goes savoury with her Red Velvet Pasta.

All you need is…
400g small, ripe rosa tomatoes
1 tbs fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tbs garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp smoked chilli flakes (Woolies stocks it)
¼ tsp salt
4 tbs olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
3 tbs mascarpone (or thick fresh cream)
½ tsp red wine vinegar
black pepper
purple basil
parmesan cheese

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and mix with the oregano, garlic, ¼ tsp salt and 3 tbs olive oil. Pour onto a flat baking tray and roast in a 140°C oven for 40 minutes.

In the meantime, fry the onions in 1 tbs olive oil until soft. As soon as they’re soft, add the tomato paste and fry for a further minute or two (it gets rid of tomato paste’s harsh metallic quality).

Pour the roasted tomatoes into a food processor, add the onions and blitz until pureed. Place the puree in a fine sieve and use the back of a spoon to push it through. A wonderful velvety sauce is what emerges and the pips and skins stay behind. Put the tomato sauce back on the heat and stir through the mascarpone. If the sauce is a bit too thick for your liking, add a few drops of the water you boiled your pasta in. Just before serving, add the red wine vinegar, a grinding of black pepper and salt, if needed. Serve with a pasta of your choice, purple basil (I love the purple against the red) and fresh parmesan.

serves 2
preparation time 10 minutes
cooking time 50 mins

Michael’s wine recommendation – CLICK HERE

 

Lizet Hartley is one of my favourite food bloggers, her website is beautiful, her food is real nostalgia stuff. Food from the heart.  She says, “I’m a freelance recipe developer, food stylist and food and lifestyle writer.  Melkkos & Merlot is my blog baby, my space where I play with new recipes, old favourites and my camera.” Her blog converts easily between English and Afrikaans at the click of a button, is well worth a visit.  Subscribe to her newsletter, it is a joy.  Click here.