GRANTED SOME OF THE DISHES I COOK CAN BE A BIT COMPLICATED, SO I’M CONSTANTLY ASKED FOR SIMPLER RECIPES. I’M ALSO OFTEN ASKED FOR VEGETARIAN OPTIONS. SO HERE’S A 2-IN-1.
This is based on a brilliant Gordan Ramsay recipe. It’s basically like pouring a Bloody Mary drink onto some pasta.
I like to add a LOT more of all the ingredients. Once you make it, you’ll know how much to ramp up (or down) the flavors for your preference. It’s a perfect combination of tangy and spicy. It makes my mouth water.
HERE’S MY TAKE:
Serves 2-4 (depending on how many helpings each)
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (add more/less to taste)
- 2 tsp Tabasco sauce (add more/less to taste; go as spicy as you can bare)
- 1 tsp salt (you can add half a tsp of celery seeds if you have)
- 1 1⁄2 tsp of freshly ground pepper (it’s a lot; add less if you prefer)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 50ml vodka (optional)
- 400g spaghetti (I use gluten-free but you can use any pasta you like)
- extra salt and pepper to seasonm, if needed
FOR THE TOPPING:
- olive oil, for frying
- large handful of breadcrumbs
- a handful of chopped parsley
*Don’t forget to scroll down for your Savory Sounds cooking soundtrack.
METHOD:
- First, put the pasta in boiling salted water. When al dente, scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- To prepare the sauce, place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a dash of olive oil. When hot, saute the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper until light golden.
- Add the garlic and continue to saute (be careful not to burn the garlic).
- Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces, the celery salt, pepper and sugar. **If you can’t find celery salt or celery seeds, use regular salt. Just keep tasting, so you don’t over-season.
- Pour in the vodka and cook until all the alcohol evaporates (the alcohol smell dissipates). The alcohol evaporates completely, but the vodka adds a bit of body to the sauce. You don’t have to use the vodka if you prefer not to.
- Add the tomatoes and the pasta water you kept aside (the starch in the water helps to thicken the sauce). Bring to a boil, then simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until reduced to a saucey consistency. (Add water if the sauce thickens too much.)
- While the sauce is cooking, prepare the topping. Place a small frying pan over a medium heat and add a dash of olive oil. When hot, fry the breadcrumbs until golden (be careful not to burn them). Stir through the parsley and set aside.
- When the sauce is ready, taste and adjust the seasoning. I tend to add a bit more Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the pasta to the pan. Mix it all up.
- Transfer to a plate. Top with the breadcrumbs and serve.
**OPTIONAL:
If you want a more substantial dish, you can add mushrooms (or any other vegetable). Once you transfer the fully prepared pasta and sauce to a plate, add a bit more olive oil and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Saute the mushrooms for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms to the Bloody Mary Pasta.
SAVORY SOUNDS
I’VE BEEN ON A DISCO KICK LATELY. WHEN I THINK OF DISCO, I THINK OF THE BEEGEES AND JOHN TRAVOLTA STRUTTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR IN SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.
So my first track is the N-Trance version of Staying Alive:
Then there’s Boney M. I’m still amazed by Daddy Cool. It sounds so current. It definitely gets me around the kitchen:
Finally, no disco playlist would be complete without a tune from Chic. Good Times is my go-to Chic song with its classic Nile Rodgers riff:
