While not cooking pasta in boiling water may sound rather strange, some recipes call for exactly that. A clip of one such recipe was shared by food influencers Liz Miu and Giuseppe Federici on Instagram. Explaining the dish itself, they wrote: “Originating in the south of Italy in Bari, this unique pasta dish isn’t boiled – but instead cooked in tomato sauce until it develops a crisp, resulting in a chewy and crispy texture full of flavour, and absolutely slaps with a homemade cashew cream cheese!”
Their followers were quick to comment, with one writing: “Yesss omg I had this in Bari like 8 years ago, it blew my mind, and I’ve been trying to recreate it since. Finally, a recipe.” While another added: “Just made this recipe and I can’t get enough of it.” And a third wrote: “Looks so crispy I need to try.”
Ingredients (Serves two)
- 200g/7oz spaghettini
- 200g/7oz passata
- One tbsp red pepper paste (or tomato purée)
- 50ml/2fl oz olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- Three garlic cloves, crushed
- Two red chillies, finely chopped
- Two tsp dried chilli flakes
- Ten cherry tomatoes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
If you don’t fancy starting with completely dry pasta, then you can begin with the spaghettini in freshly boiled water for about 30 seconds, then drain.
In a mixing bowl, combine 150g/5½oz of the passata with 400ml/14fl oz water and the red pepper paste (or tomato purée). Pour into a pan and bring to a simmer. Keep the simmer going while cooking the rest of the ingredients.
In a second heavy-based, non-stick shallow pan, heat the oil over low heat, adding the garlic and both types of chilli and stir. Fry for a moment to flavour the oil.
Add the remaining 50g passata, followed by the spaghettini, laying it across the pan. Season well, and then turn up the heat. Cook for a few minutes until some strands of the pasta have started to brown. Flip it over with a spatula, but don’t stir the pasta, as it will break.
When the pasta is lightly browned, add a third of the simmering tomato stock. Turn the heat down and allow the liquid to be absorbed, adding more liquid once the pan starts sizzling. Repeat until all the stock is used and the pasta is cooked – continue to flip the pasta while it cooks. Add tomatoes, if using.
When the pasta is cooked (it should be slightly charred in places), season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with a drizzle of oil.
