Spaghetti al Vino
Pasta and a glass of wine are a natural pairing, but we were intrigued by the idea of spaghetti al vino rosso—a legendary dish in which pasta is actually cooked in red wine. The few recipes that exist fall into two categories: those in which a full bottle of wine is reduced to a glaze and then used to coat a pound of fully cooked spaghetti, and those in which parcooked spaghetti is finished in wine, risotto-style. We found that the first method produced pasta with little wine flavor, and the second, while offering more of a wine kick, had strong tannic flavors and an unappealing purple-gray color.
To eliminate the color and tannin problems, we switched the red wine for white and struck a compromise between the two preparation methods: We reduced part of the bottle of wine to a glaze and used the remainder to finish cooking the pasta. Garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, and grated cheese are traditional accompaniments to this dish when it’s served as a first course. To make it into a full meal, we added some pancetta, arugula, and pine nuts, and we found that a little bit of cream introduced at the end helped the components cling to the spaghetti, bringing the dish together.
For this dish, you should use a good-quality dry white wine but avoid a heavily oaked white such as Chardonnay. If the wine reduction is too sharp in step 2, season to taste with up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, adding it in 1-teaspoon increments.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Sugar
1 pound spaghetti
5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 ounce Pecorino Romano, grated (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped coarse
1. Heat oil and pancetta in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; cook until pancetta is browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat from skillet.
2. Return skillet to medium-low heat and add garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic begins to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add 1½ cups wine and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until wine is reduced to ½ cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Taste and season with up to 1 tablespoon sugar if needed.
3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is flexible but not fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain pasta.
4. Transfer pasta to skillet with reduced white wine. Place skillet over medium heat; add ½ cup unreduced wine and cook, tossing constantly until wine is fully absorbed. Continue to add remaining wine, ½ cup at a time, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. (If wine is absorbed before spaghetti is fully cooked, add ½ cup reserved pasta water at a time to skillet and continue to cook.)
5. Place arugula on top of spaghetti; pour ¼ cup reserved pasta water over arugula, cover, and let stand for 1 minute. Add cream and ¼ cup Pecorino Romano; toss until sauce lightly coats pasta and arugula is evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with pancetta, remaining ¼ cup Pecorino Romano, and pine nuts. Serve immediately, passing extra Pecorino Romano separately.
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