Two people use forks to eat spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil on a white plate, set on a marble table with a glass of water in the background.

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The Cobbler’s Wife

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This pasta is for lovers. As legend has it, many years ago, a cobbler’s wife was trying to impress her husband so she sizzled fresh basil, garlic and chili pepper together until it was irresistible. She then added fresh, juicy tomatoes and al dente pasta. To finish it off she added a mountain of finely grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano and a splash of the tears of the gods. It’s safe to say her husband fell in love all over again. This dish is meant for two, pile it up and share!

Illustration of the pasta queen golden crown with five rounded points and a row of circular decorations at the base.

The Cobbler's Wife

Serves 2
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Ingredients

Imperial or Metric
  • 8 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 fresh chili pepper, I like Calabrian, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 fresh basil leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
  • 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 ½ ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1 ½ ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Season with salt until the water tastes like a seasoned soup. Drop in the pasta and cook until very al dente (a little more than half the recommended cooking time).
  • Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, cook the garlic and chili peppers in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the garlic starts sizzling with little bubbles around it, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the basil leaves and sizzle until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, season with salt, and spoon over a ladle (½ cup) of pasta cooking water. Cook until the tomatoes are soft but not quite melted into the sauce, about 5 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep the sauce glossy.
  • Transfer the pasta to the sauté pan along with a ladle (½ cup) of pasta cooking water and cook until the pasta is al dente. Remove from the heat and cook until the pasta is al dente. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano, tossing with the passion of an Italian until the sauce is thick and clings to each pasta strand, adding more pasta water as needed to keep the sauce very juicy.
  • Twirl the pasta into two nests and serve on a single plate garnished with a scrunch of pepper and fresh basil leaves.

Pasta Pot
1 Pasta Pot
chefs knife
1 chefs knife
Cheese grater
1 Cheese grater
Cutting board
1 Cutting board