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Sepps & Nonna's Sugo ai Piselli

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 small carrot, peeled
  • 1 white onion or 2 shallots
  • 2 x 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
  • 200g frozen peas
  • fresh basil
  • 300g pasta

Method

  1. Start off by finely chopping the garlic, carrot and shallots.
  2. Fry all the chopped vegetables in olive oil on a medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened.
  3. Add the tinned tomatoes and one tin’s worth of water, stir well and bring to a soft boil.
  4. Once boiling, add the chilli flakes, salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Stir well, it should bubble for 30 seconds, keep stirring and then reduce the heat to a very low simmer for 20–30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt (it should taste like sea water), then add your pasta of choice.
  6. After 20–30 minutes, taste the sauce and season as necessary with more salt or chilli flakes, then use a hand blender to blitz it to a smooth texture.
  7. Add the peas and basil and cook for a further few minutes.
  8. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.
  9. This bit is important and is what makes the eating experience much more authentic and tasty – add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to the pasta in the large bowl and mix evenly, then serve with an extra few dollops of sauce on top.
  10. If you like, top with vegan Parmesan and fresh basil.

Cashew Parmesan

Ingredients:
150g raw cashews
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients in a food
processor or a high-speed blender.
2. Blend for around 30–60 seconds,
until a fine powder is formed.
3. Transfer to an airtight container and
store in the fridge until you’re ready to
sprinkle on your favourite pastas and
salads, or, if you’re like me, on slices of
cucumber for a refreshing salty snack.