Spaghetti alla Scarpariello

Name: Spaghetti alla Scarpariello
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Campana
Ingredients: 360 g Spaghetti; 600 g cherry tomatoes; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic; 1 piece fresh red chilli; 50 g pecorino romano; 50 g parmigiano reggiano; 20 g Fresh basil; 10 g Fine sea salt

A classic Neapolitan pasta dish of spaghetti tossed in sweet cherry tomatoes, finished off the heat with grated cheese and fresh basil.

🇮🇹Italy· Campania

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 540 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

360 g Spaghetti — bronze-die extruded pasta preferred
600 g cherry tomatoes — datterini or Vesuvian cherry tomatoes, halved
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — good quality
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
1 piece fresh red chilli — finely sliced
50 g pecorino romano — finely grated
50 g parmigiano reggiano — finely grated
20 g Fresh basil — leaves washed and torn by hand
10 g Fine sea salt — plus extra for pasta boiling water

Equipment

•Large saucepan
•Wide frying pan
•Tongs
•Fine cheese grater
•Colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 540 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 74 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 19 g
calories: 540 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil.
2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
3
Add the crushed garlic and sliced chilli, cooking gently until fragrant.
4
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt to the pan.
5
Cook the tomatoes over medium-high heat for ten minutes until they collapse and release their juices.
6
Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook until two minutes shy of packet instructions.
7
Remove and discard the garlic cloves from the tomato sauce using tongs.
8
Transfer the undercooked spaghetti directly into the pan with a ladle of pasta cooking water.
9
Toss the pasta over high heat for two minutes until the sauce clings to every strand.
10
Take the pan completely off the heat.
11
Add the grated Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, and torn basil leaves immediately.
12
Stir vigorously off the heat until the cheeses emulsify into a creamy, glossy tomato coating.

Chef's tips

Always take the frying pan off the direct heat before stirring in the grated cheese so it melts into a silky cream rather than stringing or clumping. Save plenty of starchy pasta water to help bind the cheese and tomato juices.

Ingredient substitutions

cherry tomatoes → canned whole San Marzano tomatoes crushed roughly with a fork
Pecorino Romano → all Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano for a milder, less salty finish

Storage

Best enjoyed immediately, though leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a wide pan with a small splash of hot water over low heat, tossing constantly until warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding the cheese while the pan is still on the flame, which causes it to split and turn rubbery.
•Draining the pasta completely dry instead of reserving starchy cooking water to create the glossy emulsion.
•Overcooking the fresh tomatoes until they dry out rather than staying juicy and loose.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, garnished with fresh basil leaves.Pair with a crisp Campanian white wine like Greco di Tufo or Fiano di Avellino.