Indulgent Weeknight Delight: Creamy Drunken Sweet Roasted Pepper & Vodka Fusilli Lunghi Recipe

Do you sometimes get tired of that all too familiar daily "What's for tea Mum?" question too? Even though, we all know I love to cook, it still has to be one of the biggest bores of being a grown up, choosing what what everyone is having tea every night ... Especially when they are hungry, but can't decide what they want ... So after a quick cupboard and fridge rummage last night, I bring you fresh inspiration ... Creamy Drunken Sweet Roasted Pepper & Vodka Fusilli Lunghi. It's loaded with flavour, simple to prepare, and ready in just about 30 minutes or so.

The vodka, which I really wouldn't miss out, paired against the sweetness of the jarred roasted peppers and fennel, with the creaminess from the double cream, makes this dish feel hearty, luxurious and comforting. An added freezer rummage produced some large prawns and I pan fried these off in garlic butter, but they are absolutely not necessary, the sauce and the pasta can speak for themselves very happily.

The Magic of Fusilli Lunghi

Fusilli Lunghi isn’t just any pasta; this long, spiral-shaped pasta offers a unique twist. Its shape is particularly good at holding onto delicious sauces, making it the perfect choice for a creamy vodka sauce. When cooked just right, fusilli lunghi provides a delightful chewiness that enhances your meal.

Creamy Drunken Sweet Roasted Pepper & Vodka Fusilli Lunghi - The Recipe

Ingredients

• Olive Oil

• 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained

• 1 red onion, finely sliced

• 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 pinch crushed red chilli flakes

• Salt and pepper for seasoning

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup vodka

• 3/4 double cream

• 3 tbsp garlic butter (I use Lurpak)

  
  

Method

Add the red peppers to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water. Drain.

Meanwhile, place a frying pan over high heat along with 4 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, fennel, fennel seeds and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook until the onions just begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato paste and vinegar, cook 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted red pepper puree, vodka, 1 cup pasta cooking water, cream and butter. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

 Add the pasta and basil, tossing to combine. If needed, thin the sauce with additional pasta cooking water.

Divide the pasta among plates and enjoy!