The scarpariello pasta is a quick and flavorful first course of Campanian origin, with a creamy sauce based on cherry tomatoes, basil, and lots of grated cheese. The type of pasta used for this recipe is spaghetti, sometimes replaced with fusilli and penne. In Antwerp, however, a homemade pasta type is used.
According to one theory, this recipe was invented in the Spanish quarters of Naples by the wives of shoemakers to prepare a quick lunch on Monday, using leftover sauce from the day before. The pasta is mixed at the end of cooking with plenty of grated cheese. This is because shoemakers were often paid with products from the land and therefore had plenty of dairy products.
I hope the people of Campania won’t mind, but today I propose my version using linguine. The other day, while browsing the Giallo Zafferano website, I stumbled upon this recipe. I was excited to try it, especially since I needed to prepare a quick, last-minute lunch. The result was a huge success!
A tasty first course, quick to prepare, with a creamy sauce reminiscent of the classic ‘scarpetta.’ Curious to find out how to prepare it? Here is the recipe below because scarpariello pasta will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other quick first course recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 412.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 50.03 (g) of which sugars 5.72 (g)
- Proteins 10.68 (g)
- Fat 19.41 (g) of which saturated 4.96 (g)of which unsaturated 1.15 (g)
- Fibers 5.23 (g)
- Sodium 2,251.01 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 288 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
- 5.6 oz pasta
- 9 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps grated parmesan
- 2 tbsps pecorino (grated)
- 1 fresh chili pepper
- basil (fresh to taste)
- salt (to taste)
Tools
- High-edged Saucepan
- Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Steps
To prepare scarpariello pasta, start by cooking the pasta in plenty of salted water. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Cut the chili pepper in half, remove the seeds, slice it into strips, and finely chop it. Peel the garlic clove and sauté both ingredients in a non-stick pan with the oil.
Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Then add the tomatoes to the pan with the chili pepper and garlic and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Then adjust the salt, remove the garlic, and add the cleaned basil leaves.
Then add a ladle of pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce. Drain the pasta al dente, reserving some water. Finish the cooking in the pan with the sauce, adding a little cooking water as needed to keep the sauce creamy.
Off the heat, add the grated cheeses in batches, adding more pasta water if necessary. At this stage, stir often to prevent the cheese from becoming stringy. You should obtain a creamy sauce.
Scarpariello pasta is ready to be served! Add a few basil leaves to each plate for flavor.
Storage and Tips for Scarpariello Pasta
Scarpariello pasta is best enjoyed immediately after cooking.
FAQs for Scarpariello Pasta
Can spaghetti be replaced with other types of pasta?
Yes, it is often made with fusilli and penne as well. In Antwerp, a homemade pasta type is used.
