Sunday, January 27, 2013

Shells with Green, Red and Yellow Peppers and Cream


Hi! It has been a long time and I miss blogging! Life has just been so busy with friends visiting and trips and football.  I have (of course) not stopped cooking though and I have saved up some good recipes to share.  Here is the first -- Shell pasta with red, green and yellow bell peppers in a cream sauce.  It is so delicious and wonderful in winter.  I grew up eating this and I always forget how good it is until I make it.  This is from Marcella Hazan.

Conchiglie con Peperoni Verdi, Rossi e Gialli alla Panna
(Shells with Green, Red and Yellow Peppers and Cream)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

3 T butter
1 T vegetable oil
1 cup onion chopped not too fine
1 cup each of green, red and yellow bell peppers, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (if you can't get yellow bell peppers, increase red bell pepper by the same amount)
Salt
Ground black pepper
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound conchiglie (medium pasta shells)
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

1.  In a 10 to 12 inch saute pan, put butter, oil and chopped onion and turn on the heat to medium.  Saute the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold.


 2.  Add all the diced peppers, turn up the heat to medium hight, and cook until tender, turning them from time to time.


3.  Add salt and generous grindings of pepper, stir well, add the cream, and turn up the heat to high.  Cook until the cream is reduced by half.



4.  Drop the pasta into a pot of abundant boiling salted water.  Cook until it is barely tender but firm to the bite. Drain and toss immediately in a warm bowl with the peppers and cream and all their pan juices.  Sprinkle with parsley and grated cheese, toss again, and serve at once.




 Enjoy!!

-- Anya