A few weeks ago we stumbled on the beautiful pictures of this zero-waste recipe from Bon Appetit and were inspired to replicate the “pasta svuotafrigo” – as we call it – with whatever we had at home. Our pantry corzetti pasta is a great solution when the fridge is empty, friends show up uninvited and you need to cook something equally delicious and satisfying for an emergency dinner. A comforting bowl of corzetti pasta is always a fantastic idea. This time we used a flavorful formula of peppers, tomatoes, capers and cheese. Whatever you have handy, remember that salty and hearty ingredients (like capers, anchovies, pancetta) are key to the success of any pantry pasta recipe.
Pantry Corzetti Pasta
Ingredients:
2 peppers (can be substituted with another vegetable, like zucchini, eggplant or any kind of cabbage)
2 tomatoes (can be replaced with canned tomato sauce)
Capers chili flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated pecorino Romano or parmigiano reggiano
Salt and black pepper
Cover the bottom of a large skillet with enough extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the peppers, cut into pieces. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the peppers are soft.
Now add the capers and the tomatoes, diced. Keep cooking on medium heat, season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. When the vegetables have turned into a thick, intense sauce, remove from heat.
In the meantime, prepare the corzetti pasta, cook until al dente and drain, reserving some cooking liquid. Toss the corzetti with the pantry sauce, adding a little pasta water. Serve immediately with some freshly grated pecorino Romano or parmigiano reggiano.