Buttermilk Fettuccine with Spiced Tomato Sauce

At Bros’ in Lecce, chef Floriano Pellegrino finishes lightly cooked pasta in fresh buttermilk before dousing it with slow-cooked, cinnamon-spiked tomato sauce.

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

  • Time

    1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. minced shallot
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp. chopped raisins
  • 1 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
  • Kosher salt
  • pinches sugar
  • 2 12 cups cups buttermilk
  • 1 lb. fettucine

Instructions

Step 1

In a blender, coarsely purée the canned tomatoes and their juices and set aside.

Step 2

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, raisins, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and sugar, then bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and the sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 hour.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the fettuccini. Cook until the pasta is flexible and but still somewhat crunchy at the center, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water and set aside.

Step 4

Add the buttermilk to the large pot and set over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the partially cooked fettuccine and cook, tossing constantly with tongs, until al dente, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss with the tomato sauce, and serve immediately.
  1. In a blender, coarsely purée the canned tomatoes and their juices and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, raisins, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and sugar, then bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and the sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the fettuccini. Cook until the pasta is flexible and but still somewhat crunchy at the center, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water and set aside.
  4. Add the buttermilk to the large pot and set over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the partially cooked fettuccine and cook, tossing constantly with tongs, until al dente, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss with the tomato sauce, and serve immediately.
Recipes

Buttermilk Fettuccine with Spiced Tomato Sauce

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

  • Time

    1 hour 15 minutes

Buttermilk Pasta
MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

By Stacy Adimando


Published on April 20, 2018

At Bros’ in Lecce, chef Floriano Pellegrino finishes lightly cooked pasta in fresh buttermilk before dousing it with slow-cooked, cinnamon-spiked tomato sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. minced shallot
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp. chopped raisins
  • 1 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
  • Kosher salt
  • pinches sugar
  • 2 12 cups cups buttermilk
  • 1 lb. fettucine

Instructions

Step 1

In a blender, coarsely purée the canned tomatoes and their juices and set aside.

Step 2

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, raisins, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and sugar, then bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and the sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 hour.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the fettuccini. Cook until the pasta is flexible and but still somewhat crunchy at the center, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water and set aside.

Step 4

Add the buttermilk to the large pot and set over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the partially cooked fettuccine and cook, tossing constantly with tongs, until al dente, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss with the tomato sauce, and serve immediately.
  1. In a blender, coarsely purée the canned tomatoes and their juices and set aside.
  2. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, raisins, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and sugar, then bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and the sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the fettuccini. Cook until the pasta is flexible and but still somewhat crunchy at the center, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water and set aside.
  4. Add the buttermilk to the large pot and set over medium-high heat. Once simmering, add the partially cooked fettuccine and cook, tossing constantly with tongs, until al dente, 5-6 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss with the tomato sauce, and serve immediately.

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