ORECCHIETTE WITH PAN FRIED BEEF STRIPS, MUSHROOMS AND PEPPERS

ORECCHIETTE WITH PAN FRIED BEEF STRIPS, MUSHROOMS AND PEPPERS

(Serves 4)

400 g   free range beef fillet – cut into thin strips

30 ml   olive oil

1          small onion, sliced thinly

chopped chili to taste

2          cloves crushed garlic

1          small red  pepper, cut into strips

200 g   mushrooms, washed and sliced

30 g     butter

100 g   baby spinach

100 g   cherry tomatoes, halved and seasoned with salt and pepper

100 ml cream

500 g   orecchiette pasta

Salt and black pepper for seasoning

Fresh coriander for serving

METHOD:

• Panfry the fillet strips in half of the olive oil, season and remove from the frying pan.
• Add the rest of the olive oil and add the onion, chili and garlic, cook on low heat until almost soft.  Add the red pepper strips and cook for another minute.  Season and remove from the frying pan
• Add the butter to the frying pan and cook the mushrooms until cooked and dry – season.
• Add the cooked onion mixture and the meat back to the frying pan.
• Add the baby spinach, tomatoes and the cream and cook for a minute or just until the spinach starts to wilt.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta in a saucepan with lots of boiling water and enough salt until it is al dente.  Drain and stir through a little olive oil.
• Serve the meat sauce on the pasta and top with some fresh coriander