Pasta alla Crudaiola is a traditional dish from Puglia in southern Italy.
Classic recipes feature a raw sauce pasta, typically made with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and often ricotta salata — all tossed with hot, freshly cooked pasta so the residual heat slightly warms the ingredients without cooking them.
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How To Make Pasta alla Crudaiola
Pasta alla Crudaiola is a classic example of Apulian cucina povera (peasant cooking), which emphasizes the use of simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients.
It was created in Puglia as a summertime pasta dish when tomatoes are at their ripest and cooking over a hot stove is the last thing anyone wants to do.
The most commonly used pasta shapes are short, tubular varieties that can catch and hold the raw sauce ingredients. We recommend using Puglia’s own Orecchiette, known as “little ears,” this cup shaped pasta is native to the region and excellent at holding chunky sauces.
Fresh vine-ripened tomatoes are the star of the show, never use canned tomatoes or cooked sauces! The dish also features herbaceous basil, spicy olive oil, zesty garlic and a sprinkling of cheese.
In some versions you’ll find fresh cheeses incorporated like bocconcini or burrata but our favourite salty addition is southern Italian ricotta salata, which is grated over the pasta before serving.
Pasta alla Crudaiola takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, making it ideal for quick lunches or weeknight dinners. Think of it as Italian salad meets pasta!
Pasta alla Crudaiola
Equipment
- French knife
- Large pot
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Colander
- mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 350 g Orecchiette Pasta
- 250 g Grape or Cherry Tomatoes cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup Basil Leaves chopped
- 250 g Marzotica Ricotta or Ricotta Salata
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Put the tomatoes and garlic in a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and a few glugs of olive oil.
- Add most of the grated ricotta on top but don’t mix it with the tomatoes. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions.
- Remove the tomato mixture from the fridge and add chopped basil leaves
- Drain the pasta well, let it cool for a minute and add it to the tomato mixture.
- Add the rest of the grated ricotta, a whisper of olive oil, ground pepper. Mix and serve.
Nutrition
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