Make pasta sauce in minutes with tahini
In the event you bought a jar of tahini to make last week’s Single Adult Diner recipe of chunky hummus and mushrooms on toast and don’t know what to do with the rest of the tahini, please read on.
The sesame seed paste makes for a velvety smooth and rich pasta sauce that coats every strand of pasta like a cheesy and creamy sauce, without the dairy. The key is to thin out the paste with water and a bit of olive oil and brighten it with lemon to counter the bitterness of the tahini.
To make it a complete meal I added slightly caramelized cauliflower and diced pancetta for a fatty punch
The sauce takes just minutes to whisk together and it doesn’t require any cooking: just toss it with the freshly drained still warm pasta and it’s ready to eat. I like to add capers at the end for a pop of salty, briny sweetness.
You can stop there, but to make it a complete meal I added slightly caramelized cauliflower — Brussels sprouts, carrots or zucchini would also work — and diced pancetta for a fatty punch. If you cannot find pancetta, substitute two slices of chopped, crispy bacon.
Cauliflower and Pancetta Linguine With Tahini Dressing
Star Tested
2 tbsp (30 mL) tahini 1 finely minced garlic clove 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, plus more as needed 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) water, plus more as needed Kosher salt and pepper, to taste 85 g (3 oz) dried linguine 2 cups (500 mL) cauliflower florets 1/4 cup (60 mL) diced pancetta 2 tsp (10 mL) capers
In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, the lemon and water. If tahini seizes, whisk in a teaspoon of water at a time, until it becomes creamy and smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In medium-sized pot, bring salted water to roaring boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook pasta till al dente. Drain. While pasta is cooking, in a medium-sized saucepan over mediumhigh heat, heat remaining olive oil. Sauté cauliflower till tender and beginning to brown. Add pancetta. Cook until meat is crispy and browned.
In a serving bowl, toss pasta with tahini dressing. Add cauliflower and pancetta.
Top with capers and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving. karonliu@thestar.ca