Pasta with Bell Pepper and Cheese Cream

Here is a simple and tasty recipe for pasta with bell pepper and cheese cream, perfect for those who love Mediterranean flavors. As a good expert in Italian cuisine, I suggest using it as a base and then personalizing it to your taste.

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti work well)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 120 g of spreadable cream cheese (such as Philadelphia or ricotta)
• 40 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil (optional)
• A pinch of chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the peppers by removing the stem, seeds, and inner membranes, then cut them into strips or cubes. Set them aside.
2. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic until they become translucent and fragrant.
3. Add the peppers to the pan and cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are soft. If desired, add a pinch of chili pepper for a spicy touch.
4. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.
5. Once the peppers are cooked, remove the garlic and transfer everything to a mixer or use an immersion blender to turn the peppers into a cream. You can leave it more or less smooth according to your personal taste.
6. Put the bell pepper cream back into the pan, add the spreadable cheese and grated Parmesan, and stir until you get a smooth cream. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Drain the pasta al dente, reserving some cooking water, and add it to the bell pepper cream. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding a bit of the cooking water if necessary to make the sauce creamy.
8. Plate the pasta and, if desired, add some fresh basil leaves for a touch of color and freshness.
9. Serve immediately.

Fun Facts

Pasta with bell pepper cream is a dish that can be easily customized. For example, you can add bell peppers of different colors for a more colorful dish or incorporate chopped black olives for a more intense flavor. Moreover, this pasta serves well as a base for protein variations by adding chicken strips or sautéed tofu cubes for a vegetarian version.