Tasty Blender Tricks: Romanesco Pasta Sauce

Credit for this one goes out to my friend Hilary. Hilary and I worked together at two separate companies. We initially bonded after a pot luck at the first company. She'd brought some utterly fabulous horseradish cheddar and I was the only one who was interested in taking home the leftovers.

So when she sent me this recipe a few weeks ago, I gave it a good read. I am not fond of most squash, though I will occasionally stuff a zucchini boat with meat sauce and top it with a ton of cheese. Generally, I avoid the stuff, preferring other vegetables. 

But the sauce was intriguing. So I made it and I am delighted. Also worth noting: this is vegan and can easily be made gluten-free.

• 2 spaghetti squash (ignored and replaced with  chick pea pasta)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil (I didn't need the 2 T)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 garlic clove, sliced (might add a bit more next time)
• 16 oz roasted red peppers, drained (some jars are only 14 oz, it's perfectly okay)
• 1 slice of bread, toasted (it's to thicken the sauce and give it body. If you're serving a gluten-free person, some rice crackers would probably do the same thing. If you're not a carb person, I suspect you can either leave it out or throw in a touch of xanthan gum, if you're a person who has xanthan gum in the pantry)
• 1 red pepper flake packet (or 1/2 teaspoon) (I did much more than this, which will be of no surprise to anyone who knows me)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (same as above, especially considering that I think I bought the paprika at least two apartments ago)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

There are a few ways to approach this recipe. You can use a stick blender in a bowl or a traditional food processor, or the basic household blender. While I love my stick blender, when reading this recipe, I thought my blender was the best bet.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (this is for the squash, and I did not do)
2. Cut both ends off of the spaghetti squash. Cut into 1-inch rings. Arrange the rings on a sheet tray, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes. (ditto)
3. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the walnuts, shaking the pan to toast for 3-4 minutes. Set aside. (your kitchen is going to smell delightful. Do it for the full 4 minutes)
4. Blitz the garlic and roasted red peppers in a medium bowl with an immersion blender. Add the walnuts and blend until a paste-like consistency is achieved. Cut the bread into small pieces and add to the bowl, along with the red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Blend until smooth. (If you're doing something like this in a blender, I agree with the Cook's Note below. Add the ingredients a bit at a time and using the Pulse function. Also, wait until you add the olive oil to add the paprika because it's more fat -soluble)
5. Slowly add 1/2 cup of olive oil in a steady stream while blending. Stir in red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. (I think I added about a teaspoon of salt, and ground a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper)
6. Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven. Using a fork, scrape the flesh into a bowl. Discard the skin and seeds. Toss the spaghetti squash strands with the Romesco sauce. Garnish with parsley. (we already know I skipped this)
7. Cooks Note: If you are using a regular blender or food processor, add the red peppers, garlic and walnuts and blend until it forms a paste. Then add the bread and spices and continue blending. Drizzle in the olive oil while blending. Then add the vinegar and blend until smooth. (Wise advice)
8. Spaghetti squash can also be prepared by cutting the squash in half, removing the seeds, drizzling the inside with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasting cut side down on a baking sheet.

I stirred the sauce into some chick pea cassarece. I chose it for a couple of reasons besides it's what I had in the pantry. One, I adore chick peas with red peppers. Two, I thought the hefty pasta would stand up to the sauce very well. The chick pea pasta I use comes in 8 oz packages, so I have a lot of leftovers and may try another shape just for fun. I will say this is not something you would put on angel hair, in my opinion.

This recipe is going into regular rotation. If you decide to make it, let me know!