One of the quickest and easiest ways to prepare Italian pasta is in the wok. I love using whatever leftovers I have in the refrigerator and quickly stir-frying cooked pasta with some curry paste. With a little imagination, the wok turns a simple pasta dish into an ambrosial delight. This recipe makes a fine appetizer or it can easily be a main course (entrée) with salad. In warm weather, serve at room temperature.
| East meets West |
| Preparation time 20 minutes |
| Serves 4 |
450 g (1 lb) dried Italian pasta, such as fusilli or farfalle
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh root ginger
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
6 bacon slices, chopped
2 red peppers (bell peppers), cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice
2 yellow peppers (bell peppers), cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice
2 teaspoons sugar
300 ml (10 fl oz) Chicken Stock (see here)
400 g (14 oz) (1¾ cups) canned chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons Madras curry paste
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
TO GARNISH:
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
a handful of fresh chives, snipped
1 Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain well and set aside.
2 Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. When it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic, ginger, onion and orange zest and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the bacon and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until browned.
3 Add the peppers, sugar, stock, tomatoes, curry paste, tomato purée, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4 Add the drained pasta and mix well. Turn the mixture out on to a large warm platter, garnish generously with the basil and chives and serve at once.