Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce
Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce is no longer in Bogota but it IS in my kitchen! I recreated my most memorable lunch in Colombia.
This was sooooooooo supposed to be for #SundaySupper Copy Cat. I guess I was so focused on getting the post done that I completely forgot to put my name on the list.
Organization is not my strong suit. So, I’m trying Wunderlist. Have ya seen it? It’s actually working out, so far. I mean, I schlep a book around with me with printed months of the year and weeks of the year. You’d think that would be reminder enough. HA! Y’all have met my sieve of a memory right? Oh good. No introductions needed.
So. Back to this delicious Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce goodness!!
On my second, most HELATIOUS, trip to Bogota, we had lunch at La Biblioteca; a restaurant that is no longer in existence, I have since found out. It was at the Charleston Hotel, I believe? Which will soon be a Four Seasons. Not shocking.
It was a beautiful hotel and I loved eating at their restaurant. It doesn’t hurt that it’s in one of the most popular parts of Bogota; Zone T. They have a beautiful outdoor seating section at the restaurant. You can watch the people go by and are surrounded with beautiful flowers, a glass enclosure, and attentive servers. The first time I ate there, they gave me an appetizer. I guess I seemed lonely? Who knows? It was delicious.
The second time I was there, it was for lunch. I was starving and my typical Colombia headache was starting, so I needed to eat something delicious soon before I was down for the count for the rest of the day. As I was looking at the menu, I found the perfect meal for me. Crab stuffed ravioli with yellow pepper sauce. It was amazing. The ravioli were perfectly tender and stuffed with sweet crab and cheese. The sauce was silky and smooth with delicious flavors of bright yellow peppers.
I remember that meal to this day. I have wanted to make that recipe for a while as a Copy Cat recipe. This Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce. And it was delicious. Or, at least I thought it was. The hubs? “It’s okay.” Guess that’s better than, “Horrible! Don’t make it again!”
No, I didn’t make crab ravioli. I didn’t even purchase ravioli. I went with a delicious spinach and ricotta tortellini. It had the lowest fat content of all the fresh pastas. It was a delicious canvas for this amazing sauce. And I think it is amazing. It has the perfectly sweet flavor of yellow bell peppers. It is creamy, rich, and delicious while still being nice and light.
And just look at that color! You don’t want to brown the peppers. You want them to cook nice and slow so they are super sweet and are delicious. And this sauce is totally delicious! I may have to make Pasta & Saffron Pepper Sauce again just because I loved it and fix the hubs some salmon and asparagus.
What’s your most memorable meal? Have you tried to recreate it?
Pasta with Saffron Pepper Sauce
Pasta with Saffron Pepper Sauce is no longer in Bogota but it IS in my kitchen! I recreated my most memorable lunch in Colombia.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 cups chopped yellow bell peppers
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron
- 12 ounces ricotta tortellini
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat before sautéing the shallots and garlic until they begin to soften; about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers to the shallots and garlic. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
- Place the pepper mixture in a blender (or the bowl of a food processor). Add the cream and spices. Process until smooth then return to the pan and simmer until the pasta is cooked according to package directions.
- Place a ladle of sauce in the center of each of four plates. Top with pasta and more sauce. Garnish with Parmesan or Asiago cheese and serve with delicious, crusty bread to dip in the sauce.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 336Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 56mgSodium 605mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 16g
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I’ve never tried a dish with saffron in it, this looks amazing!
Oh my. Saffron is awesome! Expensive, but delicious. I have a few recipes with saffron on my blog. Great thing about it is it just takes a pinch.
I would love to hear more about your trips to Colombia! My community is going to do a VBS that helps mission projects in Colombia next year.
How exciting!! There’s several posts on my travels telling you about experiences and the food there. Feel free to DM me if you want to know more. We didn’t travel far due to Regional Security Officer regulations, but did hit a few spots.
I’d happily enjoy a meal of this with you! I love food with happy memories attached too. A winner all the way around!
Maybe one day I’ll make it with the crab ravioli. All the food memories there are good. The rest of the time? That’s a whole other post. LOL
This dish is right up my alley. I love creamy pasta sauces and I love saffron. I’ll have to treat myself soon!
I hope you love it! It’s so delicious and luxurious.