Orecchiette Piccante Recipe

Prepare breadcrumbs

Place torn day-old bread pieces in a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form (about 8–10 pulses). Alternatively, grate/coarsely chop by hand until you have roughly 2 cups.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and warm until shimmering.

Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil and cook for 30–45 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.

Add the breadcrumbs to the skillet. Toast, stirring often, until golden and crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Lower heat if they brown too quickly.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in chopped parsley, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside in a shallow bowl; breadcrumbs will crisp further as they cool.

Build the sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add sliced garlic and cook, stirring, until just golden (about 1–1½ minutes). Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Add 1 teaspoon red chili flakes and the finely chopped fresh red chile (if using). Cook 20–30 seconds to bloom the heat and release aromatics.

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to caramelize slightly and deepen flavor.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon sugar (optional). Lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens and flavors concentrate.

Taste and adjust seasoning. If you want a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender for a few seconds to break down any large pieces, but keep some texture.

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 14 oz orecchiette and cook according to package until al dente (usually 9–11 minutes), reserving 1 1/2 cups of starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

While pasta cooks, stir the ricotta with a pinch of salt and a drizzle (about 1 teaspoon) olive oil in a small bowl to make it creamy and loose.

When the pasta is just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes before suggested time), transfer 1 cup pasta water to the simmering sauce. Add the drained pasta to the sauce pan and toss over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes to finish cooking and allow sauce to cling. Add more reserved pasta water as needed (a splash at a time) to achieve a silky coating.

Turn off the heat. Tear basil leaves and toss into the pasta, along with 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino/Parmesan. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning; add cracked black pepper if desired.

Divide pasta among 4 warm bowls. Dot each portion with about 1/4 cup creamy ricotta (or spoon and nestle a quenelle), scatter a generous tablespoon or two of the herbed breadcrumbs over each bowl, and finish with a light drizzle (about 1/2 teaspoon) of extra-virgin olive oil and additional basil leaves.

Serve immediately so the breadcrumbs retain some crispness while they mix with the warm sauce and ricotta.