Orecchiette with chorizo and peppers

If there's one thing I wish this country had, it's vegan sausages. You can't find a decent vegan sausage anywhere. I've tried Tofurky's Italian Sausages in the US but sadly, it was a short love affair. There is a local purveyor of mock meats in Manila -- I've found their stuff in the shelves of Makati Supermarket -- but I'm sad to say they, well, suck. It's like tasteless texturized "food". I've stopped buying them actually, and am just finishing up my stash. They aren't so bad when you make adobo, but it's the garlic, soy sauce and vinegar that make it completely different.

What's a girl with no commercially available vegan sausages to do? Make your own. I am in love with Everyday Dish / Julie Hasson's spicy Italian sausages which were sooo easy to make. I love them. They're great when you fry 'em up with tons of onions and peppers. I also like Fat Free Vegan / Susan's pepperoni -- in sandwiches or fried up with garlic and tomatoes.

Here's another super easy recipe by Have Cake, Will Travel / Celine: seitan chorizo crumbles. Super easy to make. I highly encourage you to try it. I used a nonstick skillet and the only thing I regret is not doubling the recipe.



While you're at it, make this easy pasta dish which I threw together for a huge family lunch one Sunday in May. Smoky thanks to the addition of smoked paprika. I used orecchiette which nicely cupped the crumbled chorizo, so you know you're getting a good amount of chorizo in every bite. I tend to be lazy with chopping veggies, so I left the garlic cloves whole, onions in long slivers, and peppers in chunks. Feel free to slice them more finely, but why fuss?


Orecchiette with chorizo and peppers

1 recipe of seitan chorizo crumbles, cooked (I recommend doubling it!)
2 1/2 cups dried orecchiette
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1/2-1 head of garlic, peeled (leave cloves whole)
2 medium onions, sliced into slivers
3 or 4 bell peppers, any color, sliced into wide chunks
2-3 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional but recommended)
roasted tomatoes (optional but recommended -- I made mine plain roasted with salt and pepper)
zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Cook the orecchiette according to package directions.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Toss in the garlic and shake around until it turns golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add in the onion and saute until translucent. Add in the bell peppers, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss around until the skin of the peppers wrinkle up and turn brown. Add in the crumbled chorizo, garlic, and cooked orecchiette. If there are brown bits at the bottom of the pan, add in a splash of water to loosen things up.

In the serving dish, arrange the roasted tomatoes on top of the orecchiette. For color and decoration, grate the zest of 1 lemon on top and add in a few sprigs of parsley.