Spaccatelle pasta with Sicilian sun-dried tomato pesto and burrata.
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
696 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Spaccatelle pasta with Sicilian sun-dried tomato pesto and burrata.
Description
This recipe features spaccatelle pasta paired with a sun-dried tomato pesto inspired by Sicilian flavors. The pesto incorporates chopped sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil, nuts like almonds and pine nuts toasted to a golden brown, fresh basil leaves, garlic, and optional fresh red chili for mild heat. These ingredients are pulsed with pecorino cheese and olive oil to create a grainy, textured sauce balancing acidity and nuttiness.
The cooked pasta is dressed with this vibrant pesto and finished with soft burrata cheese, adding creaminess that contrasts the coarse texture and tanginess of the pesto. The use of high-quality olive oil and fresh herbs enriches the overall flavor profile. This dish can be varied with different short pasta shapes that hold the sauce well.
The pesto can also serve as a dip or accompaniment to bread, fish, or meat. It can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks without losing its qualities.
Ingredients
- 400 g pasta you can also use other short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, fusilli etc, used spaccatelle
- 20 g almonds
- 20 g pine nuts
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 200 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ red chili pepper optional, aka peperoncino, fresh
- extra virgin olive oil as required
- 30 g pecorino cheese grated, or Parmesan cheese
- 200 g burrata cheese
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it comes to the boil and bring to the boil again.
- Drain the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and chop into pieces. (keep some oil if you want to use it in the pesto)
- Peel the garlic and cut in half. Remove the seeds from the peperoncino (if you are using it) and cut into small pieces)
- Dry fry the nuts until they start to brown (if using whole almonds they take longer than the pine nuts so put them in the pan first and add the pine nuts once the almonds start to brown slightly)
- Put the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the almonds, the pine nuts, the basil, the peperoncino and the garlic into the mixer with a little olive oil and pulse a few times until the mixture breaks up tino small pieces.
- Add the cheese, more olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Pulse again until the ingredients are grainy but not too smooth. You may need to add more olive oil to get the right consistency. You can also use a little of the oil the tomatoes were preserved in for a stronger flavour.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When it is cooked, save a cup of the cooking water and drain.
- Put some of the pesto into a frying pan and heat. Add some of the pasta cooking water to make the sauce more liquidy. Then add half of the burrata cut into pieces. Once the burrata is starting to melt add the drained pasta. Mix everything together well and serve with some extra pieces of burrata and sun-dried tomatoes. You can add some ground black pepper, more grated cheese and basil leaves if required.
Notes
- If burrata is unavailable, fresh ricotta can be added to the plated dish instead or serve the pasta without cheese.
- Short pasta varieties like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli are suitable alternatives to spaccatelle.
- The sun-dried tomato pesto doubles as a dip or spread, complementing bread, fish, or meat dishes.
- Store the pesto in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks to maintain freshness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 696 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 696kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 89g | 30% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 41mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 259mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 1083mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1080IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 51mg | 57% |
| Calcium | 415mg | 42% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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