Gluten-Free Scarpariello Pasta is a main dish that captures you with its simplicity! It is typical of the Campanian tradition and is prepared in no time! Be careful! Don’t simply call it “tomato pasta“! Even though the ingredients are very similar, we can’t just call it only pasta with sauce. It is much, much more! The ingredients of scarpariello pasta are few, economical, and almost always available in the kitchen. Tomato, garlic, and oil, chili pepper, basil, and cheeses (grated Parmesan and Pecorino). Scarpariello pasta, or “cobbler’s pasta“, has an ancient origin. It was born in Naples and is a humble pasta but rich in flavor. The tomato is a fundamental ingredient for the creation of this dish. The other main ingredient is the cheeses. They are used to cream the pasta and form a delicious creamy texture! It takes about 15 minutes to prepare this dish, and today I am offering a gluten-free version. Even those with celiac disease can enjoy a nice plate of Scarpariello spaghetti! Let’s see how to prepare the cobbler’s pasta together!
Read at the bottom of the article the history of this dish!
Other recipes I recommend you try!
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 6.35 oz pasta (any shape)
- 12.35 oz cherry tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- to taste fresh chili pepper (or dried)
- 2 cloves garlic (only if you like)
- to taste basil (a good bunch)
- to taste salt
- 0.88 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.88 oz Pecorino cheese (Romano or smoked scamorza)
Tools
- Cutting Board
- Saucepan
- Frying Pan
- Ladle
Steps
For a perfect scarpariello pasta, the weight of the tomatoes should be about twice that of the pasta.
This will allow you to achieve the creamy sauce typical of this dish.
Wash and cut the tomatoes in half.
Originally, this recipe was made using tomato sauce or leftover ragu.
Today, fresh tomatoes are also used, more specifically cherry or date tomatoes.
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan so when the tomatoes are ready, you can throw in the pasta.
The tomatoes should cook for about 15 minutes, so adjust for the boiling time of the water.
In a saucepan, pour a good amount of oil, add two peeled garlic cloves and the chili pepper.
I only had dried, but you can also use a fresh chili tip or omit it if you don’t like it.
Sauté the garlic over a low flame, then add the tomatoes. Raise the flame slightly.
Season with salt, add a few basil leaves, and let it cook, stirring occasionally.
As soon as the water boils, salt it, and throw in the pasta.
I used Del Verde Gluten-Free Spaghetti made with corn, rice, and quinoa flour, a kind gift received with the Degustabox (#gifted).
Feel free to use the pasta you prefer, with or without gluten, short or long.
Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, the tomatoes will have softened.
Only if necessary, add a little cooking water. They shouldn’t be too dry.
That’s why I also recommend using nice ripe tomatoes.
Drain the pasta al dente and add it to the rest of the sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Now comes the fun part! Turn off the flame, add grated Parmesan and Pecorino.
Using a ladle, gently mix to melt the cheeses.
Is the pasta too dry? Pour some cooking water for the right creaminess.
Add basil leaves torn with your hands, mix, and plate.
Your Scarpariello pasta is ready to serve! A super quick and tasty dish!
I hope you liked this recipe! Until next time!
FAQ
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Why is it called Scarpariello pasta?
This dish originates in the city of Naples, more precisely in the Spanish Quarters. Here, cobblers (in dialect “scarpari“) were paid for their work with genuine products. Customers would give, as a thank you or form of payment for the work done, the cheeses they had available. So, upon returning home, the cobblers treated themselves to this rich and tasty dish prepared with simple ingredients. Often reusing the leftover sauce from Sunday. Housewives would prepare large pots of ragu, and to not waste anything, this leftover sauce was combined with grated cheeses. Scarpariello pasta was a dish that could not be missing from the menus of local trattorias. Over time, from a humble dish, it became a gourmet dish, using top-quality raw materials.
What type of pasta is best for making Scarpariello?
In the Campanian tradition, pacchero, spaghetti, or scialatiello are often used, but any other pasta shape is fine. To create a perfect union between pasta and sauce, it is preferable to use one that is bronze-drawn, even better if it’s Gragnano IGP.
How can I substitute Pecorino?
The cheeses should be of two different types. Usually Parmesan (or Grana) and Pecorino. Or Parmesan and smoked scamorza (I’ve also tried this version and it’s amazing!). The right proportion between the two would be half of one and half of the other (e.g., 30 g Parmesan and 30 g Pecorino).
Can I use only tomato puree?
Tradition called for the use of tomato puree or even leftovers of the classic Neapolitan ragu. Today, peeled tomatoes or fresh tomatoes (San Marzano, Datterino, Cherry) are also used. The important thing is that if you use fresh tomatoes, they must be well ripe.
