Franco, a friend from Catania, Sicily, showed me how to make this classic Sicilian pasta one summer evening when we all realized we didn’t have anything in the pantry to cook. Luckily we had my usual staples; Lots of different cheeses, fresh parsley, garlic, and pasta. From these few ingredients, Franco made an incredible pasta that is very popular throughout Sicily. Enjoy this pasta dish with a bottle of Poggio Grande Syrah.
To make this vegan-friendly, substitute the Pecorino with vegan cheese. I use Violife Plant-Based Parmesan cheese.
See ingredients, directions and pairings.
2 cups Fresh Italian Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup EVOO
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup Pecorino, grated
Pinch of Sea Salt, plus 3 tbsp for pasta water
Pinch of Pepper
Pinch of Red Chili Flakes, optional if you like a little heat
1 pound Spaghetti, cooked al dente per directions
**You can also add roughly chopped fresh tomatoes for a bit of acidity and color**
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the sea salt and spaghetti.
In a mixing bowl add the parsley, garlic, EVOO, a spoonful of pasta water, Pecorino, sea salt, pepper and red chili flakes. Whisk together.
When the pasta is al dente, drain and add directly into the parsley pesto mixture and toss together.
Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Pecorino on top.
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