Habeshas are no stranger to spicing up traditional Italian pasta dishes. Given the brief occupation of Italy in Ethiopia, many Ethiopians adapted pasta to include berbere and yielded a spicy, flavorful tomato sauce that Ethiopians and Eritreans use in lasagna, and many pasta dishes.
For this recipe, I have decided to use mitmita, a spicier alternative to berbere, and create an Ethiopian version of a ‘spicy vodka pasta’. I start by carmelizing onions and garlic, adding in mitmita and tomato paste, deglazing with white wine, a dash of heavy cream, and finishing with grated pecorino, straciatella to balance the heat, and basil. This pasta dish is absolutely delicious, and has become a staple in my pasta rotation.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
- Salt, to taste
- ½ box pasta of choice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tsp mitmita (to taste, add more if you would like it spicier)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- ½ cup of grated pecorino
- Straciatella (to taste, garnish)
- Basil (to taste, garnish)
Steps:
- Start by boiling your pasta of choice in heavily salted water.
- In a skillet, set to medium heat, add in a your olive oil, and sautee your onions and garlic.
- Sautee for 10-15 minutes, adding in dashes of water, until onions are translucent. Add in your Mitmita, salt, and let toast with onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in your tomato paste and stir. Let tomato paste absorb spices for another 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze with white wine. Add in your heavy cream and sprig of rosemary.
- Let simmer on low until your pasta is done.
- Add in your pasta with a dash of pasta water.
- Add in 1 tbsp of butter and pecorino, mix your pasta vigorously to emulsify your pasta water and cheese with your sauce.
- Add in more pecorino and pasta water as needed until noodles are glossy and sauce is desired consistency.
- Finish off with straciatella and basil, and more Mitmita. Enjoy!
