Masala Pasta

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

  1. Saute shallots, garlic and ginger in olive oil over medium heat, until translucent.
  2. Add tomato paste, coriander, garam masala, cumin and chilli flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the colour deepens.
  3. Add cream and stir until incorporated, taste and season.
  4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
  5. Add pasta straight to the sauce with remaining butter and ½ cup of pasta cooking liquid.
  6. Over low heat, toss to combine until butter is incorporated and sauce is glossy. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
  7. Serve topped with chives and Parmesan.

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