Pasta Dishes

Italy

Spaghetti alla chitarra con pallottine

Colatura is a unique preparation made by the fishermen of Cetara in Campania. It's a byproduct of preserving anchovies &ndash; they are packed in sea salt in wooden barrels, and occasionally a hole is made in the barrel so that the liquid can drip out of it. When distilled, the liquid develops a translucent sheen and acts as a strong fish sauce. When spaghetti are dressed with some of the colatura, olive oil, and saut&eacute;ed chili peppers and garlic, it becomes a delicious traditional dish known as spaghetti alla colatura.

Spaghetti alla colatura

Spaghetti alla Nerano is a traditional pasta dish originating from Nerano. The dish is usually made with a combination of spaghetti, zucchini, olive oil, garlic, butter, Provolone del Monaco cheese, basil, and salt. The zucchinis are thinly sliced, fried in oil, and drained. The spaghetti are cooked until al dente. The garlic is saut&eacute;ed in olive oil, removed from the pan, and the spaghetti are finished cooking in the same oil. A dab of butter is added to the pan along with the zucchini, and the dish is finished with grated provolone cheese and fresh basil before serving. If Provolone del Monaco is unavailable, it's recommended to use caciocavallo. This vibrant dish was invented in 1952 at Ristorante Maria Grazia Nerano.

Spaghetti alla Nerano

Spaghetti alla nursina

Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Spaghetti all’assassina

Spaghetti alle vongole

Spaghetti al nero di seppie

Spaghetti al rag&ugrave; di polpo is a traditional dish featuring spaghetti served with a rag&ugrave; sauce made from octopus (polpo). This dish originates from coastal regions of Italy, particularly in the south, where seafood is a central part of the cuisine. It&rsquo;s a flavorful combination of tender octopus and a rich tomato-based sauce, creating a unique take on the classic rag&ugrave;. The preparation involves slowly cooking octopus until tender, often with ingredients like garlic, onions, and white wine to enhance its natural flavor. The octopus is then chopped into small pieces and simmered in a tomato sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes or similar high-quality varieties. Aromatic herbs such as parsley, basil, or oregano are often added, along with a touch of chili for subtle heat. The sauce is cooked slowly to develop its flavors, allowing the octopus to infuse the tomato base with its briny, slightly sweet essence. The spaghetti is cooked al dente and then tossed with the rag&ugrave;, ensuring each strand is coated in the flavorful sauce. The dish is often garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, enhancing its freshness and richness.

Spaghetti al ragù di polpo

United States

Spaghetti Bordelaise is an American dish originating from New Orleans. Basically, the dish is Italian spaghetti aglio e olio with the addition of butter and the removal of browned garlic. The French Creoles also add white pepper instead of black pepper, giving the dish a nice French twist. In order to prepare it, garlic is saut&eacute;ed over olive oil and butter, and as it begins to take on a golden color, it's removed from the pan. White pepper and parsley are then added to the pan, and the sauce is tossed with cooked and drained spaghetti with a bit of the cooking water until everything is well coated. It's recommended to pair the dish with Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Spaghetti Bordelaise also make for a great side dish to oysters Mosca, which is also the most famous version of the dish served at Mosca's restaurant, just like this one.

Spaghetti Bordelaise

Spaghetti con la bottarga is a popular pasta dish from Sardinia, flavored with bottarga, a renowned, locally-produced cured mullet roe. For this simple, yet very delicious dish, cooked spaghetti are first shortly tossed in garlic-infused olive oil, then flavored with a mixture of pepper, finely chopped parsley, grated bottarga, and a few spoonfuls of pasta water. Quick and easy to make, spaghetti con la bottarga is a favorite Sardinian primo and the best proof that there is no need to complicate when cooking with high-quality ingredients.

Spaghetti con la bottarga

Spaghetti con pomodori secchi

Greece

Spaghetti me anthotyro is a pasta specialty hailing from the island of Crete. Traditionally, the spaghetti are boiled in goat or sheep meat stock before they are served drizzled with the stock and topped with a generous amount of local anthotyro cheese. It usually uses the dry variety of anthotyro cheese known as anthotyro xero, a type of hard, white goat&rsquo;s and sheep&rsquo;s milk cheese characterized by a salty flavor and a crumbly texture. This simple combination is believed to have been created by Cretan shepherds in the comfort of their mitata (small round stone houses built in the mountains). On Crete, this dish is typically prepared and offered on various celebratory occasions, including traditional Cretan weddings. Pieces of boiled goat or sheep meat are usually served in a separate dish on the side.

Spaghetti me anthotyro

Spaghettini alla Siracusana

Spaghettini verdi is a traditional pasta dish originating from Tuscany. It's made with a combination of extra-thin spaghettini pasta, butter, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The spaghettini are cooked in salted water, drained, then returned to the pot with the butter, garlic, grated cheese, and parsley. The dish is seasoned with salt and pepper, tossed, and immediately served on heated plates. If prepared properly, the pasta should be coated in a creamy green sauce.

Spaghettini verdi

Spaghetti pie is a traditional pie originating from Colorado. Although it&rsquo;s often dubbed the most iconic pie of Colorado, spaghetti pie is savory and not sweet, like most other iconic state pies. It&rsquo;s made with a combination of spaghetti, ground beef, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, butter, beaten eggs, and cheese such as mozzarella, ricotta, or parmesan. Parsley, basil, and oregano are often added to elevate the flavors. Once assembled, this savory pie is topped with cheese and baked in the oven until the cheese melts and the pasta becomes golden brown.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti sciuè sciuè

Croatia

&Scaron;porki makaruli or makaruli na krvavo is a traditional dish originating from the Dubrovnik area. The dish is made with a combination of makaruli pasta, beef, pork fat, onions, tomatoes, red wine, parsley, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. The meat is cut into chunks, then saut&eacute;ed with onions in pork fat. Tomatoes are added to the pot, followed by red wine and lukewarm water, parsley, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, and seasonings. The dish is slowly cooked for about two hours. The leftover fat is poured over the cooked pasta, followed by the meat and the accompanying sauce. As a finishing touch, the dish is traditionally topped with grated sheep or goat cheese. The name &scaron;porki makaruli means dirty macaroni, referring to the practice of serving the dish &ndash; when the meat was eaten, the last guests were served a plate of pasta drizzled over with the leftover meat sauce. Locals traditionally prepare the dish for the feast of Sveti Vlaho (Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik).

Šporki makaruli

Strascinati con la menta is a traditional pasta dish that originates from Basilicata and is a specialty of Tito. It consists of strascinati pasta (similar to orecchiette, but larger) and a sauce made with olive oil, butter, lardo, garlic, and fresh mint leaves. The mint leaves are sprinkled over pasta just before the sauce is added. Optionally, you can use chili pepper flakes. That's the white version of the dish, but there's also a red one, made by adding a few dried sweet peppers to the sauce.

Strascinati con la menta

Strascinati con mollica e peperoni cruschi is a simple pasta dish from the Italian region of Basilicata, prepared with two popular local products: strascinati pasta and crispy flakes of crumbled, locally-grown heirloom red peppers, known as peperoni cruschi. Strascinati is a pasta variety typical for southern Italy that is made by pressing small chunks of dough over wooden boards until the pieces attain their distinctive olive leaf shape. The pasta is then paired with simple ingredients such as olive oil, anchovies, garlic, breadcrumbs, peperoncini, salt, and sweet peperoni cruschi. This rustic dish is a true representative of cucina povera&mdash;a culinary concept that is based on the usage of cheap, locally sourced ingredients to create flavorful and filling dishes. It is recommended to serve strascinati with a glass of fruity local white wine on the side and to (optionally) top the dish with grated caciocavallo cheese.