Rigatoni With Pepper and Chorizo Cream Sauce
This rich and savory dish is a crowd pleaser and is easy to prepare. Tomatillos, a key ingredient in salsa verde, are sometimes called “green tomatoes,” but are actually part of the nightshade family. Be sure to remove their papery husks before eating. If you can’t find them fresh, look for them canned.
Over tens of thousands of years, people have saved the seeds from the best plants for next year’s crops or crossbred different strains of the same plant to make hardier or better tasting food. Tomatillos, which first occurred wild in the Andes in South America, have been hybridized by humans and spread throughout the world. Other major crops like tomatoes, peppers, corn and potatoes have also changed incredibly since they were first discovered by European explorers.
Today, scientists have found ways to speed up this process using biotechnology, which is simply a more precise way to breed plants using naturally existing genes. In farming, that means growing plants with the ability to repel insects, withstand rough weather or grow using less water.
Rigatoni With Pepper and Chorizo Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch pan, toss together tomatillos, bell peppers, chili pepper, onion, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 1 hour or until mixture is slightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Remove casing from chorizo, if present. In a large Dutch oven, cook chorizo in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until cooked through. Remove from heat; do not drain. Add roasted pepper mixture, including liquid. Cool mixture slightly, then puree in a food processor or blender. Return mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in cream; cook and stir until sauce starts to thicken. Add rigatoni and heat through. If desired, garnish with cilantro.
