SAUCE
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1/2 cup of unsalted raw cashews (soaked)
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2 red bell peppers (roughly chopped)
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1/2 of a large red or white onion (roughly chopped)
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2 shallots (roughly chopped)
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4 cloves of garlic (halved)
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2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
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salt
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pepper
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1/2 cup of fresh basil
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2 tbsp of lemon juice
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2 tsp of chilli flakes
PASTA
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2 servings of spaghetti
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1 cup of reserved pasta water
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1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
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10-16 raw shrimp (peeled)(optional)
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3-4 handfuls of spinach (optional)
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basil
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15min
Cook Time: 55min
VEGAN
30min-5 hours before dinner, soak the cashews in cool water.
Drain the nuts in a sieve. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roughly chop bell peppers, onion, shallots, and garlic and place into a large bowl. Toss with oil, and season with salt and pepper, before dumping out on to the
sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until bell peppers have softened and pieces are slightly charred.
During this, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Right before straining, remove 1 cup of pasta water, and then set aside.
If adding shrimp, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet. When the skillet is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 minute until the bottom edge becomes pink and then flip. Cook for another minute until the shrimp is cooked through. It should shrink, be opaque, and pink on all sides. Remove from pan to a side plate and set aside. Keep pan on the stove.
Transfer baked vegetables to a blender with soaked cashews, 2 tbsp of the pasta water, lemon juice, basil and chilli flakes. Blend until completely combined and creamy. Add more pasta water if needed.
Transfer sauce to the large skillet and add the cooked pasta, shrimp and spinach. Stir to coat everything. Add more pasta water if needed. Garnish with basil and chilli flakes and serve right away or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
