Peruvian Red Pasta with Ground Pork

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Finely chop the onion and garlic. Finely grate the carrot and halve the cherry tomatoes. Set out the ají panca, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

   
2. 2

   Cook the pasta

   Bring 2 l of water to a boil in a pot, add 8 g of salt, and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain it and reserve 100 ml of the cooking water.

   
3. 3

   Brown the meat and vegetables

   While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon; the outside should be browned and the meat must not remain raw. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and ají panca and cook for another 30 seconds.

   
4. 4

   Finish the tomato sauce

   Pour the passata into the pan and add the halved cherry tomatoes, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, 3 g of salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken but remain juicy.

   
5. 5

   Combine the pasta and sauce

   Remove the bay leaf. Add the drained pasta and about 60 ml of the reserved cooking water to the pan. Toss for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce evenly coats the pasta. If needed to loosen the sauce, add the remaining reserved water. Serve immediately.