Description
Spicy Pasta alla Mezcal is a smoky twist on Pasta alla Vodka. Mezcal tequila brings a subtle charred flavor that melts into the rich, silky tomato sauce, making it taste a little deeper and a little more intriguing than pasta alla vodka. It‘s cozy, creamy, and just different enough to keep you coming back for another bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 16 oz dried pasta of choice (I recommend rotini, cavatappi, rigatoni or fusilli)
- 1/4 cup Calabrian chili oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup mezcal of choice (I recommend Del Maguey Vida)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water then drain.
- Create the sauce base: While the pasta is cooking, heat the chili oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Finish the sauce: Add the tomato paste and sugar and cook while stirring often for about 3 minutes until it turns very dark red in color. Add the mezcal and let it sizzle and cook off, about 1 minute. Pour in the heavy cream and let simmer for a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Mix the pasta with the sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until the pasta is evenly coated with sauce and add more pasta water if it needs thinned out. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Calories: 708
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 484mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 66g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 72mg