Is there a pepper lover among us who doesn't swoon at the thought of a darkly roasted red bell: velvety, caramelized and dripping with juice?
Whether curled over crostini or draped onto some kind of tangy cheese, roasted peppers are the most crowd-pleasing way to enjoy the sweet summer vegetable (which, like a tomato, is botanically a fruit).
This savory pasta offers all the joys of roasted peppers without having to roast and peel them, or to rely on slightly acrid jarred versions.
Instead, slivers of fresh bell peppers (preferably with a mix of colors) are sautéed with whole garlic cloves until everything turns golden brown. This initial searing brings out their sweetness and softens them - to a point. The key to a truly plush texture happens when you deglaze the hot pan with a splash of liquid.
During deglazing, the tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet dissolve, adding layers of flavor to the piquant, complex sauce. But in this recipe, there's a bonus: The steaming liquid will also break down any trace of spine the peppers might have maintained, leaving them perfectly floppy and gorgeously silky.
Because I like to sip wine when I cook, spilling some into the pan is my lazy person's method of deglazing. But you don't need to open a bottle just for this dish. Water, broth, beer, dry sherry or even the gin and vermouth of your martini (if you can spare it) will work just as well, giving it a very slight nuance.
Really, you'll barely taste it, because most of the sauce's character comes from those burnished peppers and garlic cloves, zipped up with a little rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and deepened with loads of anchovies. (Yes, you can skip the anchovies, but compensate with some soy sauce.)
A dollop of fresh ricotta just before serving brings the elements together, lending creamy richness to contrast with the mound of torn fresh herbs and crisp scallions that make up the garnish. Don't skimp on those scallions. Other than the snap of al dente pasta, the scallions will be the only textural contrast in the bowl. But they are enough - all the dish needs to bring the suppleness of sweet peppers to the fore.
Pasta With Caramelized Peppers, Anchovies and Ricotta
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Kosher salt
12 ounces short pasta, such as radiatori, fusilli or campanelle
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 to 10 anchovy fillets, chopped, or use a dash or two of soy sauce
2 large rosemary sprigs
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Large pinch of red-pepper flakes
2 sweet bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry red, white or rosé wine, or use dry vermouth or water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
2 scallions, thinly sliced, or 1/4 cup sliced red onion
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint, basil or thyme, plus torn mint or basil leaves and tender sprigs, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta. and cook, according to package instructions, until the pasta is just al dente.
As pasta cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium-high, and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and rosemary, and sauté until the anchovies start to dissolve, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic turns pale golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the bell peppers and a large pinch of salt to the pan, and sauté until the bell peppers are very soft and well caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes, lowering the heat if the peppers start becoming too dark. Add the wine (or water) and the butter, and sauté, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Taste, and season with lemon juice and more salt as needed.
Put 1/4 cup ricotta and the scallions in a large serving bowl, and season aggressively with black pepper.
Use a coffee mug or measuring cup to scoop about 1/2 cup pasta water from the pot. Drain the pasta, then add it to the bowl with the ricotta and scallions, tossing well. Add the bell pepper mixture and the herbs, and toss well, adding a splash or two of pasta water if the mixture looks dry. Taste, and season with more salt if needed.
Spoon pasta into bowls, and top with dollops of the remaining 1/4 cup ricotta, a drizzle of oil and a little Parmesan, if you like. Shower torn herb leaves over all.