Spaghetti with red and yellow capsicum
“For a knock-our Valentine's Day, keep it light and plan it carefully, advises Steve Manfredi.”
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- a few capers
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 6-8 green olives
- 1 large ripe tomato,
- 1/2 a cup of fresh basil leaves
- salt
- 250g of good quality spaghetti,
- freshly cracked pepper and grated parmesan, to serve
Use the weekend to prepare. Clean a little. Think about the table setting. Iron the good tablecloth and napkins or hire some, as well as some plates, cutlery and wine glasses. All this preparation will earn valuable points.
Method
Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and lightly fry a diced onion, a minced clove of garlic, a few capers and 3 anchovy fillets for 3-4 minutes until the anchovies have dissolved.
Wash and core one red and one yellow capsicum. Cut each into strips 1cm wide, top to bottom, then cut these in half. Add to the saucepan with 6-8 green olives, pitted and chopped. Turn up the heat and fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the capsicum has softened.
Add a chopped, large ripe tomato, half a cup of fresh basil leaves and a good couple of pinches of salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Once cooked it will keep in the fridge for three or four days.
To serve
Cook 250g of good quality spaghetti, toss the re-heated sauce through the pasta and serve with freshly cracked pepper and plenty of grated parmesan.
