The sweet roasted bell peppers, the rich Italian pancetta, and the fresh basil all work well together in this savory pasta dish. This sauce is simple but classy, and it goes well with any kind of pasta.
Ingredients: 3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded. 100g Italian pancetta, diced. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped. 1/4 cup olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. 300g pasta of your choice. Grated Parmesan cheese for serving.
Instructions: Start by heating the oven up to 400F 200C. A baking sheet should hold the whole bell peppers. Roast them for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the skin is charred and blistered. Take the peppers out of the oven and let them cool down a bit. Then take off the skin, take out the seeds, and cut the flesh into small pieces. Put the olive oil in a big pan and heat it over medium-low heat. It will take about 5 to 7 minutes of cooking after adding the diced pancetta until it is crispy. When you add the minced garlic to the pan, cook for one more minute or until the garlic smells good. The chopped roasted bell peppers should be added last. Cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors mix. In the meantime, cook the pasta until it's al dente according to the directions on the package. Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain it. When the pasta is done, add it to the pan with the bell pepper sauce. Toss the pasta to coat it evenly. If the sauce gets too thick, add the pasta water that you saved. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then mix in the basil leaves that have been chopped. If you want, you can serve it hot with grated Parmesan cheese and extra fresh basil leaves on top.
