a RARE PASTA SAUCE I ate weekly when I lived in ITALY

This spicy, creamy, red bell pepper pasta sauce is a rare pasta sauce that I’ve only found in a jar in a supermarket in Italy, today I set out to recreate this nostalgic sauce. I believe this is a variation of pesto alla calabrese.

Felicetti Cavatappi (10% off, use code “NACS” at checkout):

ITALY TRIP BOOKINGS:

SHRIMP SCAMPI

STUFFED SHELLS

RED WINE RISOTTO

PASTA DOUGH

RECIPE

PATREON:

HATE LESS COOK MORE HOODIE:

MUSIC BY FROOK

[DoobieFerguson]

I made a variation of this yesterday for my 94 year old grandma that can't really taste much at this point. I didn't have Calabrian chilies on hand so I substituted a red serrano from the garden and also two san marzano's from the garden instead of the tomato paste. I also threw in a couple sun-dried tomatoes with the oil from the jar. I walked in after she had started to eat and her eyes lit up and she goes "now THIS is good!". Well done, Chef! You gave me enough influence to revive an ol' ladies taste buds.

[deadrituals]

Tip from an Italian - you could replace the cream with some grated Parmigiano and blend it in - Adds a bit more thickness just like cream would, but will accentuate the peppers and other stuff a bit more - you can also use ricotta for a creamier texture instead - cream is more of a french cuisine thing, in Italy we don't tend to use it as much, especially in the south

[FelesAdamantis]

This is almost the exact recipe I asked my mum every year for my birthday when I was a child! The only difference is that she didn’t blend the ingredients in the food processor and we just added the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top. This recipe is like the elevated version of my mom’s dish and I HAVE to try it asap. Bravo from an Italian girl!

[tcgWHADDUP]

I just want to say…This is the best pasta dish I have ever had in my entire life. Me and my boyfriend made this on a random monday and it changed my life. It is different than anything I have ever had before and it is worth the time.. SERIOUSLY. This video was a great help in the process and I hope everyone tries this recipe atleast once!!!

[stewhv]

After thoroughly analyzing the thumbnail and cross-referencing the image with other vegetables, I can conclude with confidence that, yes, a red bell pepper is indeed not a tomato.

[sophia]

My mom made this for me growing up and I never knew what it was called! She passed away almost a year ago and I thought I’d never get the recipe. Thank you

[lindahrushanyk]

To my surprise, my daughter made your sauce for tonight's dinner, and I have to say, it was one of the best pasta sauces, I have ever had. It's restaurant quality and so full of flavor. Thank you, Steve, for sharing this recipe, it's absolutely delicious!

[marcusroussy]

in the restaurant we use to put the pepper directly on the flames of a burner for like 5-10 mins a side, then throw it in a bowl of ice water and the skin would just peel off on its own mainly

[goradian]

I steam the bell peppers by putting them on a chopping board then covering them with an upside-down bowl. Same result, but without the need for cling film!

[macthompson]

7:30 this is where a stick blender really shines. and if you are making it in a pot or dutch oven you can even just blend it in the pan.

[petertumminaro]

Growing up my Italian Dad always put his peppers on the stove without a pan to burn off the skins. Just right on the gas stove pan holder without the oil. I could see him making a sauce like this. Thx for sharing.

[MidnightMoonday]

I had to come back to this video, I made this pasta and IT IS SO GOOD. It is now my staple pasta sauce, thank you so much for sharing!

[edwardrosser]

Tip: Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise and put on parchment paper for roasting. No rotating necessary.

[ennisdelmar]

A tip whenever you make a dish with tomatoe paste is to put it directly on the surface of the pan and let it cook for a lil minute before mixing it it, it really enhances the flavour.

[matthewmoore]

I love the color of this sauce. Also, props for how you include timing (when to begin heating a pan, for instance) into your vids. Small detail, but makes a difference.

[YiSLGaming]

I love how he explains the cooking process and teaches whilst entertaining us!

[DanielleTinkov]

I think it's not a "sauce" that inspired this but the somewhat popular Pesto Calabrese which is traditionally made from roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, ricotta, garlic, and pecorino cheese. The ricotta will give that fullness that he is trying to replicate with the heavy cream and the body is coming from the sun dried tomatoes with the peppers remaining the dominant flavour. Italians generally don’t use a lot of cream when cooking, so any recipe that heavily rallies on it is probably reverse engineered by Americans or Northern Europeans.

[soccer]

I've never commented on anything before but my dad made this sauce and it was absolutely incredible. Restaurant grade. I've never had a sauce like this before and will now be a staple in our house. In my top 3 pasta sauces for sure.

[hocapito]

Made a large portion for my family and a friend and they all loved it! My brother is extremely hard to please and usually rejects anything that has peppers in it, but even he loved it! This recipe if for sure a 10/10. Thank you so much!

[mikeobrien]

When I saw this video in July, I thought "ah, that's what I'll make my vegetarian wife for her birthday!" I didn't bother peeling the peppers and I used parmesan instead of romano (both were fine). I also just kept the seeds from the chilies instead of using pepper flakes. This came out great and tasted just like imagined it would. Best part? My wife loved it. In fact, she's looking forward to having the rest for dinner tonight. Huge hit. Thank you!
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