Chorizo pasta bake
Combine chorizo, honey, roasted red peppers and creamy mozzarella to make a crowd-pleasing pasta bake. Offset the richness by serving it with a dressed bitter leaf salad
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 200g cooking chorizo , cut into small cubes
- ½tbsp olive oil
- 1large long shallot , finely chopped
- 2tsp thyme leaves
- 2garlic cloves , crushed
- 50ml sherry or vermouth
- 2x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2roasted red peppers from a jar, sliced (about 115g)
- handful of pitted black olives (about 40g), halved (optional)
- 1tsp smoked paprika
- 1tsp honey
- 1tsp sherry vinegar
- pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 400g short pasta of your choice
- 150g ball of mozzarella , drained and torn
Instructions
Step 1
Put the chorizo cubes into a cold frying pan and turn the heat to medium. Fry for 6-8 mins or until the chorizo is sizzling, golden brown and its oil has been released. Stir in the olive oil and shallot, and fry for 5 mins until softened. Add the thyme and garlic, and fry for another minute before adding the sherry or vermouth. Bubble until almost all the liquid has evaporated.Step 2
Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, olives (if using), paprika, honey and 200ml of water. Simmer for 10-15 mins until thickened. Season with the sherry vinegar, chilli flakes (if using) and salt and pepper.Step 3
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 6-8 mins or until al dente. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the water, and tip into the chorizo sauce. Stir well, adding a splash of the reserved water (about 75ml) to loosen the sauce enough to coat the pasta, if needed. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish (ours was 20cm x 30cm) and dot over the mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.