Creamy Suya Pasta

Italy meets Northern Nigeria with this spicy hot suya cream sauce infused with roasted red peppers and tomatoes. Yaji Pepper aka Suya Spice Mix, though most popularly used to grill meats, is an amazing seasoning blend that can be used in so many different ways.
Note: You can use Ekaterra spices on anything, we just happen to prefer using them on plants.
Creamy Suya Pasta
Category
Main
Servings
2
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Italy meets Northern Nigeria with this spicy hot suya cream sauce infused with roasted red peppers and tomatoes.
Note: You can use Ekaterra spices on anything, we just happen to prefer using them on plants.
Author:Affiong

Ingredients
40g penne pasta, or pasta of choice
2 large red bell peppers, cut in half and deseeded
2 medium Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small red onion, chopped
1 garlic bulb
1 cup cashew milk (sub milk of choice)
-
2 tbsp Ekaterra Yaji - Suya Spice
1 tbsp nutritional yeast, (optional)
1 tbsp coconut nectar (sub maple syrup or brown sugar)
3 tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice)
Salt, to taste
Italian basil leaves
Red pepper flakes
Garnish
Directions
Preheat the over to 350F
Slice the top off of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Pour over a little avocado oil then wrap the garlic bulb in some aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Lay the pepper and tomato slices cut side down on a lined baking sheet and place in the oven and roast for 12 - 15 minutes. Watch the peppers carefully, as you want the skin to char - blacken and blister, but you do not want to burn through completely
Remove the wrapped garlic after 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes after about 12 minutes and set aside.
Once the bell pepper skin bubbles and blackens, remove them from the oven and place them in a bowl, then tightly cover the bowl with cling film and let them steam for 5-10 minutes - this helps to separate the skin from the flesh and makes the skin easy to peel off
Peel off and discard the skins from the red bell pepper slices, the tomatoes, roasted garlic cloves, place the flesh in a blender, along with the cashew milk. Blend until smooth, then set aside
Cook the pasta until almost done - al dente. Drain the pasta from the water. Pour cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process and to prevent it from overcooking. Save some of the pasta water for later.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Sauté the onions for 1 - 2 minutes, then pour the red pepper, garlic and cashew milk blend into the pan and stir for another 1 - 2 minutes.
Add in the Ekaterra Yaji - Suya Spice, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional), coconut nectar (sub maple syrup or brown sugar - to cut the acidity and the heat) and stir for another 2 minutes.
Add in the cooked pasta plus some pasta water to thin out the recipe if needed. Ensure the pasta is covered with the sauce.
Remove the pan from the heat, add in the chopped basil leaves and stir them through. Garnish with red chili flakes if desired and serve.