Oh my gosh, this week. Where did it go? I say that knowing full well that tomorrow is Thursday.

Let’s talk about romesco sauce: it’s an amazingly easy roasted tomato and red pepper sauce. There are basically two steps: roast veg on pan, blend veg in blender. It was great to pair with something that was a liiiiittle more complicated: homemade spaghetti!

We always seem to make pasta on our anniversary (that’s what this was for). And I love it – Dave and I love cooking together but the pasta is more of a project than we do on just any old night. And, it also helps that Dave is *great* at making it.

But if you don’t want to make fresh pasta, that’s OK. You should still try the sauce. We used the leftovers on pizza tonight and that was delicious, too!

6 roma tomatoes, quartered
1 large red bell pepper, quartered, pith removed
12 cloves garlic
2/3 cup olive oil
kosher salt to taste
1 slice bread
1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes, bell pepper and garlic on a baking sheet that is either greased or lined with a silpat. Drizzle with a little of the olive oil, and salt liberally. Roast for 15-20 minutes, then allow to cool for ten.

Add all the vegetables to a blender or food processor, then pulse until well combined. The sauce should be about the consistency of a regular tomato sauce.

For the pasta:
7 oz. AP flour
7 oz. semolina flour (use all AP if you don’t have semolina)
4 large eggs, room temperature

Stir the flours together in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the eggs. Mix using either the paddle or dough hook until the dough is smooth. Cut into spaghetti according to your pasta roller’s instructions. Cook in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes, then drain. If you are draining and not using right away, toss with some oil – otherwise the pasta will stick together.

Divide the pasta into four servings and toss with sauce. I found that I most enjoyed giving the noodles a good coating, then adding another couple of tablespoons. Serve with lots of grated Parmesan, fresh basil, salt and pepper.