When I think of pasta, my mouth usually waters at the thought of a red sauce, vodka sauce, pesto, and a heap of ricotta or burrata. What I don’t often think of is goat cheese.
However, while I was in Los Angeles recently, I visited Ristorante Per L’Ora and ordered a dish that I can’t stop thinking about.
The restaurant, located in Hotel Per La in Downtown LA, serves a version of Spaghetti Alla Checcha based on the Roman recipe—but with a few key adjustments. Often considered a summer pasta that can be served cold, Ristorante Per L’Ora’s version is cooked. Some online recipes call for burrata to add creaminess, but chef Joey Roacho uses goat cheese. This results in a lovely balance of ingredients, with complementary flavors from garlic, tomatoes, black pepper, basil, and the goat cheese.
Roacho says the recipe takes inspiration from a dish he made while working at another restaurant more than a decade ago.
“We used to do a similar dish and I added my twist to it to make it unique to Ristorante Per L'Ora. It also reminds me of being in Rome with my wife under the Trevi fountain having dinner,” says Roacho.
Roacho and Ristoranet Per L’Ora share the recipe with Appetito for those who can’t make it to the LA restaurant but want to try this classic pasta dish—with a goat cheese twist.
Spaghetti Alla Checcha
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
1 pound 1 spaghetti
1 clove 1 garlic, minced
5 Tbsp. 5 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10 oz. 10 Sungold tomatoes
4 oz. 4 Sundried tomatoes
2 sprigs 2 Basil
4 oz. 4 Goat cheese
Pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pan, then add tomatoes and garlic.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti to al dente, reserving some of the pasta water.
- Add a little of the water to the pan with tomatoes and garlic, then add pasta to the pan, stir to combine, and remove from heat.
- Season with salt and pepper, add goat cheese and basil, and serve.
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