Spaghetti in a Caramelized Red Pepper and Cognac Pink Sauce

The first recipe I want to share is very simple. I came up with it on a Thursday night, with an almost empty fridge and an almost empty pantry. Great start to be creative! :)

I had some cream in the fridge leftover from another recipe and had to use it. Since I always have tomato sauce at home, garlic and pasta, I decided to make a quick pink sauce (tomato sauce, cream and garlic). As I was sauteing the garlic, I discovered a red bell pepper in the fridge and a red chili. I thought to myself:

"Mmmm... this could be interesting... the sweetness of the red pepper... the sweetness of the cream... a kick from the red chili.... let's give it a try! :)"

I decided to saute the bell pepper at high heat to caramelize it. Then I added the red chili. As the fumes started to reach my nose I thought:

"Mmmm... this smokiness.... what could complement it? .... .... .... Cognac!!!"

I added some cognac to deglaze the pan and the smell of it confirmed I was on the right track! :) Then I added the cream and the tomato sauce and let it simmer for a while. I tasted it and realized that the skin from the roasted pepper had added some bitterness to the mixture. I added some sugar to fix it and voilá! The spaghetti sauce was ready!

Although Goran was a bit skeptical about the concoction before trying it ("spaghetti with a caramelized pepper pink sauce!?!?", he actually like it! Here are the details:

Ingredients (4 servings)
Spaghetti, 1 lb approx.
Olive oil
1 Red bell pepper, diced
2 Cloves of garlic, thinly chopped
1 Red chili, cut in rings
2 shot glasses of cognac
1 pint of cream
1 small can of tomato sauce
Salt
Pepper
Sugar (if needed)

Preparation

1. Saute the garlic in olive oil at medium heat
2. Add the red bell pepper and turn heat to high. Stir constantly until the peppers turn a light shade of brown and you can smell the smokiness coming out of them.
3. Add the red chili and turn heat down to medium. Saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the cognac and reduce at medium heat.
5. Add the cream and the tomato sauce and reduce heat to low.
6. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for approx. 15 minutes, then taste.
7. If it is too bitter, add a teaspoon of sugar. Cook another 5 minutes, then taste again. If it is still too bitter, add some more sugar (to taste).
8. Cook until you reach the desired consistency. I personally like this pink sauce to be more on the thick side.
9. Mix the sauce with the spaghetti and let sit in a covered pot for approx. 5 minutes. It will give the pasta some time to absorb the sauce flavors. Make sure the pasta is not overcooked or it will become soggy. :)

Buen provecho!! :)