Name: Fiery Macaroni
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves , peeled; 2 to 4 teaspoons Calabrian peperoncini flakes; ½ cup panko bread crumbs; Salt and pepper; 1 pound bucatini; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Why This Recipe Works

Hot dried chiles are beloved across southern Italy but perhaps nowhere more than in Basilicata, the spiritual home of the diavolicchio (little red devil) chile. It's the spiciest pepper used in the region; it boasts a Scoville rating in the five figures and has complex, smoky notes that elevate and punctuate the region's cuisine. Maccheroni di fuoco employs these little devils like no other dish, turning a few seemingly modest ingredients into a flavor-packed meal. The essential oils in red chiles are oil-soluble, so blooming chili flakes in hot olive oil produced complex flavor. We gently cooked whole cloves of garlic in the oil as well before mincing them. This allowed their flavor to become sweeter and rounder than if we had minced them before cooking, since cutting raw cloves creates the compound allicin that imparts the harsh flavors generally associated with garlic. Allowing the oil to steep while we toasted bread crumbs (for a little crunch) and cooked our pasta bolstered its intensity. The addition of cheese is contentious, but we appreciated the savory notes that some Parmigiano Reggiano provided.

Before You Begin

Chiles from Basilicata are not widely available but we found Calabrian peperoncini flakes to be an excellent substitute. Calabrian peperoncini flakes are available at most Italian markets; however, if you can't find them, 1½ teaspoons of ground dried arbol chiles are the next best substitute. This dish is intended to be fiery hot but can be made milder by using the lesser amount of peperoncini flakes.

Instructions

Cook ¼ cup oil and garlic in 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until garlic begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in peperoncini flakes and cook until slightly darkened in color, about 45 seconds. Immediately transfer oil mixture to bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer garlic to cutting board, mince to paste, then return to oil mixture. Let sit until flavors meld, about 20 minutes.

Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Cook panko, 1 tablespoon oil, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in now-empty skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to clean bowl and set aside for serving.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add oil mixture, ¼ cup reserved cooking water, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ cup oil and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual portions with bread crumbs and Parmigiano before serving.