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SUN-DRIED TOMATO & FRESH PANEER PASTA

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 250 grams pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 3 teaspoons chilli flakes, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ¼ cup Italian basil, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt, to taste

Paneer:

  • 1 litre full fat milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon/lime juice
  • Salt, to taste

Tomato sauce:

  • 6 large tomatoes
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta as per packet instructions. Save ½ cup of this starchy water* and drain. Set aside.
  • Tomato sauce: Blend the tomatoes, skins and all, to a smooth purée. Heat olive oil in a pot and brown the onions and garlic.
  • Tip in the tomato purée. Add salt. Cover and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces, about 10-15 mins. Stir occasionally.
  • Paneer: Boil the milk, then take off the heat. Add lemon juice and stir gently for 15 seconds. Let sit for 5 mins.
  • Drain the paneer in a sieve. Wash the paneer under running water.
  • Add the paneer and salt to taste to a blender jar. Blend to a smooth paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Heat olive oil in a pot. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Once the garlic starts to colour slightly, add the tomato sauce.
  • Season with oregano, chilli flakes and salt. Stir in the basil leaves.
  • Stir in the cooked pasta. Add the starchy pasta water* we set aside to loosen the sauce if it appears too dry.
  • Add the blended paneer and stir. I like to marble the paneer into the pasta and not stir it through completely. Serve with more basil on top.

Notes

- For store-bought paneer, use 150 grams. Add a little water whilst blending to loosen.
- Use any tomato/marinara sauce you have on hand.
- The sun-dried tomatoes I use are the ones that come packed in oil.