RomanItalian
Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino Alla Ruben (Creamy Garlic and Chili Pepper Pasta with Pecorino)
by Cucina con Ruben · 548K subscribers on YouTube
A creamy twist on the classic aglio, olio e peperoncino. The garlic is blanched three times to tame its pungency, then blended with olive oil, chili, and sparkling water into a luscious cream. The pasta is finished with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and a surprising touch of pecorino cheese.
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
10 items- SpaghettoniThick spaghetti, preferably bronze-drawn
- 3 pcsGarlic3 cloves, peeled
- Green Chili PepperMild green chili pepper, sliced
- Chopped Chili in OilHot red chili paste in oil
- Extra Virgin Olive OilExtra virgin olive oil, mild flavor
- ParsleyFresh parsley, stems and leaves separated
- SaltSalt, to taste
- LemonLemon, zest only
- Sparkling WaterSparkling water, for blending
- PecorinoGrated pecorino cheese
Method
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch 3 garlic cloves for 1 minute. Drain and repeat two more times (3 blanches total).
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the same boiling water (or a separate pot) until 2 minutes less than al dente. Reserve some pasta water.
- Finely chop the parsley leaves and set aside. Keep the stems.
- After the third blanch, the garlic will be soft and translucent. Place it in a blender or tall cup. Add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, a bit of red chili paste (peperoncino tritato sott'olio), a pinch of salt, and a splash of sparkling water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the sliced green chili pepper and a few parsley stems. Sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the garlic cream into the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it to the skillet. Continue cooking over medium heat, tossing, for 2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Remove from heat. Discard the parsley stems. Add lemon zest and grated pecorino cheese. Toss well.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped parsley leaves.
Cucina con Ruben
Home cookReviewer548K subscribers on YouTube242.9M total channel viewsRuben Bondi - cucina italiana, kosher e giudaico-romana. Diventato noto durante il lockdown cucinando dal balcone a Trastevere.
