Scungilli Pasta in Spicy Marinara/Fra Diavolo

Step 1

RINSE & DRAIN: Open the can of scungilli and pour all contents into a large strainer or colander. (Don’t use the juice from the can–discard it.) Then, rinse well under cold running water. (Sometimes I will also let the scungilli soak in cold water for a minute or two.) Shake the strainer or colander a couple times, then let it stand for a few minutes, allowing as much water to drain off as possible. Set the scungilli aside to continue to drain as you prepare the remaining ingredients and the sauce.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)

Step 2

PREP: Prep and gather all ingredients according to the specifications above. If there are any large pieces of scungilli, slice them into smaller, bite-sized pieces, if desired. Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

Step 3

SAUTÉ: Combine the olive oil, half the parsley, garlic, anchovies or anchovy paste and crushed red pepper in a large skillet over medium low heat and cook until the garlic starts to soften and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir a few times and break up the anchovies, which will dissolve into the oil.

Step 4

Add the diced hot cherry peppers and their liquid, then the white wine, and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Step 5

Then, add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper and stir until well-combined.

Step 6

Cover and bring the tomato mixture to a simmer and simmer, partially covered, for 10 to 12 minutes or so to reduce and thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. Then, hold the sauce on warm.

Step 7

Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta and cook it for 2 minutes less than the package instructions, or two minutes less than al dente.

Step 8

When the pasta is about halfway-cooked, increase the heat of the sauce to medium-low and add the drained scungilli to it, mixing well. Note that the canned scungilli is already cooked and just needs to be heated up in the sauce before adding the pasta. It’s important not to really cook the scungilli as it will become tough!

Step 9

Once the pasta is ready, transfer it to the spicy scungilli marinara sauce along with about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water (to start) and increase the heat to medium. Stir well to fully combine all ingredients and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce and absorb all of those wonderful flavors! Add additional pasta water if more moisture is needed.

Step 10

Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat, fold in the remaining parsley and drizzle a healthy glug of high-quality olive oil over the pasta, stir and serve. Buon Appetito!