Pasta Romesco

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan / 500°F.
2. Add the red peppers to a roasting tray. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway so the skins become charred all over. When they’re ready, transfer the red peppers to a chopping board and leave to cool slightly for 10 minutes or so.
3. While the red peppers are cooling, add the almonds to a large frying pan on a medium heat and toast for a few minutes on both sides or until they brown, then remove from the heat.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Shortly before the pasta is ready, remove 125ml ( 1/2 cup) of the cooking water and leave to one side for the next step.
5. Peel the skins off the red peppers, then also discard the stalks and the seeds. Add the red pepper flesh to a blender, along with the toasted almonds, garlic clove, dried oregano, smoked paprika, red wine vinegar, generous pinches of salt and pepper, and the 1/2 a cup of pasta cooking water you reserved earlier. Blend until smooth, then pour the red pepper sauce into a large frying pan (we use the same pan we used earlier to toast the almonds).
6. Cook the sauce for a minute or so on a low-medium heat. Then, when the pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta straight into the sauce, adding some more of the pasta water as you go to loosen it.
7. Divide onto plates or bowls and top with freshly ground black pepper and olive oil, if you like.