Spaghetti Alla Ciociara
Submitted by kammy
Rustic Italian spaghetti from the Ciociaria region with plum tomatoes, sweet peppers, oil-cured olives, and Romano cheese. A bold, no-meat pasta that’s ready in under an hour.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
50 minStraight from the rolling hills south of Rome, spaghetti alla ciociara is peasant cooking at its finest.
Sweet bell peppers, plum tomatoes, and briny oil-cured olives simmer together in olive oil to create a sauce that’s vibrant, earthy, and deeply satisfying without a scrap of meat.
The pasta finishes right in the sauce so every strand soaks up those bold Mediterranean flavors.
A hit of grated Romano at the end adds a sharp, salty bite that ties it all together.
Kitchen Tips
- Seek out Gaeta olives or oil-cured black olives for that authentic briny punch. Regular canned black olives won’t deliver the same depth.
- Cut the peppers into thin strips so they soften into the sauce and wrap around the spaghetti.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente before tossing it in the sauce. Those final 30 seconds in the skillet let it absorb flavor while keeping its bite.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat olive oil in a nonreactive skillet.
Add tomatoes, peppers, olives, ½ teaspoon salt and several grindings of pepper; mix well.
Cover and cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Off heat, set sauce aside until pasta is ready.
Bring 4 quarts water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt.
Add spaghetti and cook until slightly less than al dente.
Return sauce to a simmer.
Drain pasta and add it to sauce.
Toss over medium heat 30 seconds, then add cheese and toss once more.
Serve at once.
Comments
