Pasta alla crudaiola is a summer recipe typical of the Apulian tradition, simple to prepare but full of flavor, perfect for serving during the hottest days. As the name suggests, it is a first course seasoned with strictly raw ingredients, enhancing the freshness of Mediterranean flavors.
The protagonists of this pasta salad are ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, grated salted ricotta and, optionally, black olives. All elements that recall the scents and colors of the Apulian summer.
Just like other famous Apulian dishes – from zucchine alla poverella to rice, potatoes and artichokes tiella, up to scacchiata di peperoni – the crudaiola originates from the peasant tradition, made of simple, seasonal and genuine ingredients. The result is an authentic and light dish, that keeps intact the connection with traditional cuisine.
Usually served at room temperature shortly after cooking, pasta alla crudaiola is also perfect to enjoy outdoors: it is ideal for a beach lunch, an outdoor picnic or as a summer alternative to classic cold first courses, such as the more common cold pasta salads or cold rice salads.
Pasta alla crudaiola is a fresh and genuine dish, perfect to bring all the flavor of summer to the table!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Apulia
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 309.34 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.07 (g) of which sugars 14.95 (g)
- Proteins 8.74 (g)
- Fat 15.35 (g) of which saturated 1.76 (g)of which unsaturated 1.55 (g)
- Fibers 3.15 (g)
- Sodium 560.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 353 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Pasta alla Crudaiola
- 10.5 oz pasta (for me gluten-free)
- 1.4 lbs cherry tomatoes
- 10 leaves basil
- 2.1 oz salted ricotta
- 2.1 oz black olives (optional; weighed pitted)
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste salt
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
- 1 Salad Bowl large
- 1 Grater wide-hole
How to prepare Pasta alla Crudaiola following the Apulian Recipe
To prepare pasta alla crudaiola, start to prepare the dressing about 30 minutes in advance, so it can soak in flavor: wash the cherry tomatoes – you can use pachino, datterini or any variety you like, as long as they are red and ripe – and cut them into not too small pieces (1). Gather them in a large salad bowl and season them with salt, oil, plenty of torn basil, and 2 cloves of garlic cut in half (2).
Mix carefully and let the dressing marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. After 30 minutes, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water, drain it al dente and transfer it to the salad bowl. Do not rinse the pasta under cold water as is often done for pasta salads, the heat actually helps to bind the pasta and the dressing. Also add the pitted black olives and mix well (3). Remove the garlic and finally garnish with plenty of salted ricotta grated with a wide-hole grater (4).
Mix again to blend everything well and serve the pasta alla crudaiola at room temperature, garnished with more grated salted ricotta.
Storage
You can store the crudaiola in the refrigerator, closed in a glass container, for 2 or 3 days.
Tips and Variants
In some variants of pasta alla crudaiola, still Apulian, the addition of anchovies in oil and chopped capers is included in the dressing.
