Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

I've posted before that there are lots of stir in pasta sauces available but many of them are quite bland and can be full of salt and sugar. 

This is another healthy alternative that is ready in no time and will keep in the fridge on standby for a couple of days.

The recipe used roasted peppers. Jarred peppers work just fine, but you roast your own if you have a little more time.

The following recipe will coat 120g cooked pasta and serve two people.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of low fat butter spread

• 25g Shallots (or onions if you prefer)

• 50g roasted peppers. Finely chopped. (From a jar or fresh if you prefer)

• 25g sun-dried tomatoes. Soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drained

• 1 clove of garlic. Peeled and crushed (or half a teaspoon of dried garlic granules if you prefer)

• 1 teaspoon of tomato puree

• ½ teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning

• 150-200ml low fat milk

• 4 teaspoons of low fat creme fraiche

• 15g parmesan. Finely grated

• 2 sweeteners. Finely crushed with the back of a spoon

• a good twist of black pepper and a little salt (if needed)

• dried/fresh parsley or a couple of torn basil leaves for garnish 

Method

1. Heat a small sauce pan over a medium to high heat and add the butter.
2. When it's bubbling, add the shallots, peppers and sun dried tomatoes and stir fry for 3-5 minutes.
3. Next add the garlic and continue to fry for a further minute or so.
4. Next add the tomato puree, Italian seasoning, low fat milk and creme fraiche and stir well to combine.
5. All the sauce to simmer away for a couple of minutes and reduce slightly.
6. Remove from the heat and carefully blitz the sauce using a food processor or  hand blender.
7. Stir in the parmesan, return to the heat and stir well to combine.
8. Add the pepper and a little salt if needed (the parmesan can be quite salty, so it doesn't usually need much, if any at all).
9. Stir into your favourite cooked pasta and garnish with the chopped parsley or torn basil leaves.