wholemeal spaghetti w’ roast capsicum pesto & crispy chorizo

Miss G. absolutely adores spaghetti.

So much so, she insists of eating spaghetti for lunch most days.

Usually I boil a little of her favourite pasta and serve with a super simple tomato sauce, or a swig of olive oil and grating of parmesan.  She is also a HUGE fan of vegemite and cheese spaghetti (a gorgeous Nigella Lawson recipe), you can find the recipe here – its delish.

Today’s spaghetti though, is just that little bit more special.

We whizzed together our new favourite pesto – roasted sweet peppers ground together with brazil nuts, parmesan cheese, a big bunch of fresh basil, a little garlic and a good glug of extra virgin olive oil.  It’s so simple to prepare but packs a HUGE punch in flavour.  The amount spelled out in the recipe below is more than enough for the spaghetti and will leave you with plenty of pesto leftovers which can be used to ‘dress up’ roast chicken, a little grilled lamb or even added to a simple salad dressing.  I also love to smother toasted bread with a little of the pesto and top with torn balls of fresh mozzarella and shredded basil leaves – yum.

Although the pesto is unbelievably good – for me, what makes this supper utterly gorgeous are the shards of perfectly roasted chorizo strewn throughout the spaghetti.  Whilst the spaghetti was bubbling away on the stove top – we cut two chorizo sausages into half coins and popped them into a hot oven until they were beautifully golden and drenched in the most fragrant paprika spiked oil.  Once the spaghetti was perfectly cooked, we drained the cooking water and returned the aldente pasta back into the gigantic saucepan it cooked in and whilst still piping hot poured over the chorizo and all of the beautiful red paprika hued oil that the spaghetti instantly drank up.  We also added a couple of generous spoonfuls of pesto along with a few handful of baby spinach to the spaghetti.  Stirred together, the balance of flavours was lovely.  Zesty, bright sweet pepper pesto along with chewy golden pieces of sweet chorizo and fresh tender spinach leaves to echo lightness – supper perfection.

To serve, the spaghetti only needed the slightest adornment of shaved parmigiana reggiano and it was ready.

To create your own wholemeal spaghetti w’ roast capsicum pesto & crispy chorizo simply…

Begin by preheating your oven to 200 degrees celsius (390 F) and line an oven tray with baking paper.  Place the chorizo onto the prepared tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Add spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions.  Drain and return to the pot.

Whilst the pasta and chorizo are cooking place the sweet roasted capsicum, parmesan, brazil nuts, garlic clove and basil into the large bowl of a food processor and blitz until combined and chopped.  With the motor running, add the olive oil and blitz until combined.

Decant to a bowl and set aside.

To assemble; return the cooked spaghetti to the pot, along with the chorizo (and lovely paprika spiked oil from the oven tray), pesto and spinach and toss to combine.

Place the spaghetti onto a large plate, top with shaved parmesan and a little cracked pepper and serve family style nestled in the middle of the table.

wholemeal spaghetti w’ roast capsicum pesto & crispy chorizo

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• Author: my lovely little lunch box
• Total Time: 30 mins

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Ingredients

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• 2 chorizo sausages, cut into thin rounds
• 500 grams wholemeal spaghetti
• 1 jar (290 grams) sweet roasted baby peppers, drained
• a large handful of basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 cup (55 grams) parmesan, grated
• 1/2 cup (70 grams) brazil nuts
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups (200 grams) spinach leaves
• shaved parmesan, to serve

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (390 F) and line an oven tray with baking paper.  Place the chorizo onto the prepared tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Add spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions.  Drain and return to the pot.
3. Place the sweet roasted peppers, basil, garlic, parmesan and brazil nuts into the large bowl of a food processor and blitz until combined and chopped.  With the motor running, add the olive oil and blitz until combined.  Decant pesto into a bowl and set aside.
4. To assemble; return the cooked spaghetti to the pot, along with the chorizo (and lovely paprika spiked oil from the oven tray), 1 cup of pesto and spinach and toss to combine.  Place the spaghetti onto a large plate, top with shaved parmesan and a little cracked pepper and serve family style nestled in the middle of the table.  Enjoy x

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

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