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How to Make Red Wine Pasta
Who knew that spaghetti cooked in red wine would be so good? This recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman, is really fun to make. It tastes great, too. The wine cooks into the pasta, developing a complex flavor and butter added right at the end of cooking makes a silky smooth sauce.This simple recipe is done in about 15 minutes. Start by cooking your pasta in salted water just until it begins to bend — about 5 minutes. Then add it to a skillet with toasted garlic and simmering dry red wine. Swirl the pasta around in the wine until tender, and then finish with a pat of butter. For serving, add a sprinkle of toasted pistachios on top and if you like, some parmesan cheese.
The Best Wine to Use?
Since we are cooking the pasta in quite a bit of wine, it should be something you actually enjoy the taste of. Plus, you will only be using 3/4 of the bottle, so you’ll have a glass left over to enjoy yourself. That doesn’t mean you need to splurge — something mid-priced works. Look for a dry red wine like Chianti or Zinfandel for the best deals. Recipe updated, originally posted July 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear and added a quick recipe video. – Adam and Joanne 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 pound thin spaghetti 2 cups dry red wine such as Chianti or zinfandel (about 3/4 bottle) Salt and fresh ground pepper 1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving 2Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for one minute. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. 3Transfer the pasta to the skillet with wine and cook, swirling the pasta around the pan until the liquid is nearly absorbed and pasta “al-dente” (cooked, but still firm to the bite). Turn off the heat then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve topped with pistachios and shredded cheese.
