Pasta salad with pepper and walnut sauce

Ingredients

For 6 servings.

Volume measures: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml. Use gram quantities where provided.

• 450 g egg-free fusilli, rotini or penne
• 112 g raw walnuts
• 140 g sliced vegan sourdough bread
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, 340 g, drained
• 3 garlic cloves
• Zest of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp juice
• 1/2–1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, plus an optional 1/4 tsp for the topping
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or fine salt to taste, and black pepper
• 75 g olive oil
• 16 g parsley and 24 g basil, chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped capers
• 1/2 tsp flaky salt, adjustable
• 60 g rocket
• Up to 240 ml pasta cooking water

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Arrange bread and walnuts on a tray and toast for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway; cool.
2. Cook pasta in salted water until tender, about 2 minutes past al dente. Reserve the stated cooking water, drain and rinse pasta with cold water.
3. Pulse bread into textured crumbs. Reserve half for the topping.
4. Add walnuts, peppers, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, chilli, salt and pepper to the processor crumbs. Blend, pouring in the olive oil.
5. Mix reserved crumbs with lemon zest, parsley, basil, capers and flaky salt; add the optional chilli.
6. Toss pasta with sauce and gradually add cooking water until creamy. Add rocket and finish with the herby crumbs.