Pasta alla crudaiola
Pasta with raw tomatoes and basil
Pasta alla crudaiola: hot pasta with raw tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata
In Puglia, through the hottest weeks of July and August, nobody wants to stand over a simmering sauce, so they make pasta alla crudaiola: ripe tomatoes chopped raw, left to steep with basil, garlic and olive oil, then tossed with hot pasta and salty grated ricotta salata. The heat of the pasta barely warms the tomatoes, so it tastes fresh and juicy. Ricotta salata is usually made with animal rennet; a vegetarian feta-style or hard cheese works well instead. The common mistake is using pale, watery winter tomatoes, which give a bland, thin sauce, so make this only when tomatoes are deep red and fragrant. Chef's tip: salt the chopped tomatoes 15 minutes ahead so they release their juices, which become the sauce.
- Total time
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the raw sauce
- 1 ⅓ lb ripe tomatoescherry or plum, chopped into small pieces
- 1 clove garlichalved
- ⅔ oz fresh basilleaves torn
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp dried oregano (optional)
For the pasta
- 1 tbsp saltfor the pasta water
- 2 ⅞ oz ricotta salatacoarsely grated; or a vegetarian feta-style cheese (ricotta salata often uses animal rennet)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅓ lb ripe tomatoes in a large serving bowl with 1 clove garlic, ⅔ oz fresh basil, 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ¾ tsp fine salt and ½ tsp dried oregano if using. Stir and leave at room temperature while you cook the pasta, until a pool of pink juice gathers in the bottom of the bowl.
15 minStep 2: Bring 4 litres of water to the boil with 1 tbsp salt and cook 14 oz short pasta such as orecchiette or penne until just al dente.
12 minStep 3: Fish the garlic halves out of the tomatoes. Drain the pasta well and tip it, still steaming, straight into the bowl. Toss for 30 seconds so the hot pasta drinks up the juices.
Step 4: Add 2 ⅞ oz ricotta salata and toss again. Taste for salt and serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pasta alla crudaiola take?
- About 27 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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