Spaghetti alla milanese popped onto my radar when I began following a NYPD officer’s Sunday Italian cooking adventures. He in turn credits Pasquale Sciarappa for the recipe and it is veramente buono!
This is a southern Italian version of a northern Italian classic. It’s a simple recipe that a beginning cook can execute flawlessly and an experienced one can appreciate for the beauty and flavor. This took less than an hour start to finish and was a big hit with my toughest cooking critic. This with a buttered baguette and a glass of bubbly made for a memorable 50th anniversary!
Making Spaghetti Alla Milanese
Bring heavily salted water for your pasta to a boil. While waiting for the boil, cook the pancetta and garlic.
Chop the pancetta into small 1/4″ pieces, then place them with a dash of olive oil into a hot skillet over medium low heat. Stir and fry for 4-5 minutes until it is beginning to turn color, then lower the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for another2-3 minutes until it becomes golden.
Drop the pasta and par-cook the pasta 5-6 minutes, about half the time recommended by the pasta maker.
Meanwhile, quickly bring the chicken stock and saffron to a boil in a separate pot.
While cooking the pasta, add the pancetta and garlic to the chicken stock with saffron and return it to a boil.
When the pasta is ready quickly drain it in a colander then add it to the boiling pancetta mixture. Add the wine, add the pasta and cook over medium heat for another 5-6 minutes until the pasta has absorbed the liquid. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Once fully melted, add the pecorino cheese and stir until fully incorporated.
Plate and garnish with the parsley and additional grated pecorino-romano. Serve immediately.
Spaghetti Alla Milanese
Al dente spaghetti with pancetta in a garlic and white wine sauce
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 4–5 oz pancetta (may substitute ham)
- Olive oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 garlic cloves – chopped
- 1 TBL butter
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese – grated
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/4 cup parsley and/or basil – chopped for garnish
- Finely grated pecorino-romano cheese – garnish
Instructions
- Bring a well salted pot of water to a rolling boil
- While waiting for the pasta water to boil, begin frying the pancetta over medium low heat with a few drops of olive oil. Stir to cook evenly and fry for about 4-5 minutes
- Add the garlic and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook until the garlic is golden, another 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside
- Cook the pasta for only half the time listed on the package, about 5-6 minutes and bring the chicken stock and saffron to a boil in a separate pan while the pasta is cooking
- When the pasta is ready, quickly drain in a collander and add to the cooked pancetta and garlic
- Return to heat over medium, add the chicken stock and wine
- Stir together and continue to cook until the spaghetti absorbs the remaining liquids, about another 5-6 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter. When fully melted add the pecorino cheese and stir until incorporated
- Garnish with the parsley and additional grated pecorino-romano and serve immediately