Spaghetti alla Checca Recipe from Rome

Name: Spaghetti alla Checca Recipe from Rome
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 400 g Spaghetti; 400 g tomatoes; 100 g pitted olives; ½ teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 handful fresh basil; 1 handful fresh parsley; 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 burrata; salt; freshly ground black pepper

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5.0

120 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
4
Calories
520 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian

Spaghetti alla Checca Recipe from Rome

Daisy Meyer

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This simple but very tasty Italian vegetarian pasta recipe from Rome is very quick and easy to make. I added burrata but you can leave it out for a vegan or dairy-free version.

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Ingredients

Servings

400 g Spaghetti (14oz) I used spaghettoni from pastificio Sorrentinno, Gragnano
400 g tomatoes (14oz) fresh and ripe. I used piccadilly tomatoes from Sicily
100 g pitted olives (3.5oz) I used taggiasca olives
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh parsley
3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 burrata (fresh)
salt for pasta and to taste
freshly ground black pepper. to taste

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Instructions

Cut the tomatoes into cubes and leave them in a colander to naturally lose some of their water, without removing the inner flesh with the seeds.
Chop the parsley and tear the basil leaves into pieces. Roughly chop the pitted olives.
Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet. Let it heat gently, over a very low heat for about a minute. Add a tablespoon of chopped parsley, 4-5 chopped basil leaves and a pinch of fennel seeds and the olives
After a minute, add the chopped tomatoes to the mixture. Stir, season with salt, cover and cook slowly, over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and season with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Add some more chopped fresh parsley and basil. Let the sauce rest while you cook the pasta. It helps to enhance the flavours!
Throw the spaghetti into the boiling salted water and cook al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is ready save a cup of the cooking water and drain it.
Add the pasta to the sauce while it is still very hot. If the sauce seems dry, add some of the pasta cooking water or another couple of tablespoons of oil. If using a serving dish as I did, turn the pasta alla checca out into a serving bowl and then add the burrata. Sprinkle with more fresh parsley and basil. Serve immediately!

Notes

You can use other types of pasta for this dish. I have seen recipes with pasta tubes such as penne, rigatoni, fusilli etc. If you don't have burrata you could use a fresh mozzarella, preferably di bufala. For a dairy-free or vegan version leave out the burrata/mozzarella.

Nutrition Information

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Calories 520kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 80g (27%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 11g Cholesterol 0.2mg (0%) Sodium 402mg (17%) Potassium 482mg (14%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 1044IU (21%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 51mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 520 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	520kcal	26%
Carbohydrates	80g	27%
Protein	14g	28%
Fat	16g	25%
Saturated Fat	2g	10%
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g	12%
Monounsaturated Fat	11g	55%
Cholesterol	0.2mg	0%
Sodium	402mg	17%
Potassium	482mg	10%
Fiber	5g	20%
Sugar	5g	10%
Vitamin A	1044IU	21%
Vitamin C	15mg	17%
Calcium	51mg	5%
Iron	2mg	11%