Pasta with Peppers and Onions

Broiling the peppers for the simple pasta dish intensifies their natural sweetness and gives them a delicious smoky flavour

Serves: 4

Red and yellow bell peppers - 1 lb ( about 2 large ones)

Olive oil - 6 tbsp

Red onion - 1 large, thinly sliced

Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed

Fusilli or other short pasta - 14 ounces

Fresh parsley - 3 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Fresh ground pepper - to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese - to serve

1. Place the peppers under a hot broiler and turn occasionally until they are black and blistered on all sides. Remove, place in paper bag and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. The pepper skin will remove easily. Peel the peppers. Cut into quarters, remove the stems and seeds and slice the flesh into thin strips. Bring a large pan of water to boil.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until it is translucent about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Set aside.
4. Add salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until the pasta is tender.
5. Meanwhile, add the peppers to the onions and mix together gently. stir in about 3 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in finely chopped parsley.
6. Drain the pasta. Transfer it to the pan with the vegetables and cook over moderate heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to mix the pasta into the sauce. Serve with Parmesan passed separately.

Health Benefits:
Peppers are a good source of vitamins A, C and E. Red peppers have ten times more vitamin A than green peppers.

Cooks Tip:
The large red, yellow and orange peppers are ripe and therefore usually sweeter than green peppers, and have a fuller flavour.