Masala Pasta
A culinary crossroads where the aromatic spices of India meet the comforting queen that is pasta. Inspired by the Malai Rigatoni dish from Pija Palace in LA. I need this with garlic naan on the side (make your own, I have a recipe, buy it from the supermarket and reheat, or order some on Uber Eats - I've done it). You could add some broccoli or broccolini to make it Butter Broccoli-esque, I would approve.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped or grated
- 130g tomato paste double concentrate
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 300ml cream
- 400g short pasta
- 40g unsalted butter
- Chives, finely chopped, to serve
- Finely grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano), to serve
Serves 4
Method
- Saute shallots, garlic and ginger in olive oil over medium heat, until translucent.
- Add tomato paste, coriander, garam masala, cumin and chilli flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the colour deepens.
- Add cream and stir until incorporated, taste and season.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
- Add pasta straight to the sauce with remaining butter and ½ cup of pasta cooking liquid.
- Over low heat, toss to combine until butter is incorporated and sauce is glossy. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve topped with chives and Parmesan.