Spaghetti alla Carrettiera
A simple, bright Sicilian pasta with garlic, chili, pecorino and toasted nuts for crunch.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 350 g spaghetti approx 12 oz
- 1 garlic clove garlic germ removed, finely chopped
- 1 red chili pepper washed, de-seeded and finely chopped
- handful fresh parsley finely chopped
- 100 g Pecorino cheese finely grated, approx 1.11 cups
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts toasted, optional
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds toasted, optional
- 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs toasted, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, remove the chili seeds and finely chop the red chili. Peel and finely chop the garlic, removing the inner germ. Finely chop the parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil with the chopped garlic and chili; season with salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to blend.
- Reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
- Transfer the hot spaghetti to the bowl with the oil, garlic and chili. Add the grated pecorino and two tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, then toss quickly to form a creamy sauce, adding more cooking water as needed to reach a silky consistency.
- Stir in the chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts, toasted slivered almonds and toasted breadcrumbs if using, mixing until evenly distributed.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed and serve immediately.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large Bowl
- Colander
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Fork
- Measuring Spoons
Notes
- Use freshly grated Pecorino for the best texture.
- Toast nuts and breadcrumbs until golden for extra flavor.
- Reserve pasta water to help emulsify the sauce.