Brown rice pasta is a good substitution if you are going for a gluten free meal. It has a very similar feel to normal wheat pasta.
This recipe was created to find a use for scraps in my refrigerator, and it was so good that I had to write it down for another time.
INGREDIENTS (4 servings)
- About 2 cups (700ml) of basic tomato sauce (see my recipe under another post)
- 1 lbs (450 grams) of brown rice pasta (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 3 oz. (85 grams) spicy chorizo, cut in small pieces
- 1 large onion, halved and cut into thin strips
- 1 medium size zucchini, cut into small strips
- 4 garlic scapes, cut into 1 inch length (optional)
- A dash or two of chili flakes
- Salt and cracked pepper to taste
- Shredded pecorino
DIRECTIONS:
- Make the basic tomato sauce (you can make it up to two days in advance, or fresh when you need it)
- Heat a large pot of water until it boils, add the pasta and cook until ‘al dente‘ (Italian word for ‘to the bite’, meaning firm, but not hard). To test for al dente, try cooking for one or two minutes less than the directed cooking instructions and taste – it tastes much better than overcooked pasta, and is healthier as well! Remember that the pasta will continue to cook on its own after you remove it from the water.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan and then sauté the chorizo & onions until the onions are softened and the chorizo is slightly crisp. Add the zucchini, and garlic scapes in the mix and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chili flakes in and sauté for another minute, then pour in the tomato sauce and mix.
- Strain the hot brown rice pasta and mix with the tomato sauce and vegetables. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.
- Shred pecorino cheese over the pasta and serve.