I love red wine and I could eat pasta every single day so when I saw this recipe for spaghetti cooked in red wine, it was a no-brainer that I had to try it. I especially enjoy when I can find a recipe that looks a bit daunting or expensive and I can figure out a way to make it easier or cheaper. This Sicilian recipe, from Chef Maurizio Botta, of Vecchia Cantina Baroni in Sicily, was not only delicious and different, but inexpensive and easier to make than I thought.

The red wine used in the original recipe was Stemmari Nero d’Avola, which is a deep ruby-red, with hints of violet and an irresistible fragrance of strawberries with ripe black cherry notes. I couldn’t find this particular wine but instead used a red that we like to drink and has similar components. (Chime Cabernet $7.99 to $9.99.)

The end result of this pasta dish is spaghetti with splendidly fruity tartness and a lovely mahogany color. You want to make sure to add the wine only a few tablespoons at a time, as mentioned in the directions, so that it thickens into a glorious, deliciously fruity sweet glaze.

The addition of the leeks, ricotta cheese and almonds totally makes this recipe so the extra few minutes and cost is worth it.

* In the list of ingredients, I’ve put the original ingredient that Chef Botta uses in parenthesis after the ingredient I use, to keep the price lower.

SPAGHETTI IN RED WINE –

Prep Time: 5 minutes      Cook Time: 20 minutes         Serves: 4 for approx. $6.73

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup ricotta
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated nutmeg will enhance the sweetness of this dish)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 1 small leek, finely sliced
• 1 cup red wine, plus more if needed (Stemmari Nero d’Avola wine)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (Pecorino cheese)
• Sliced almonds

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix until combined. Set aside.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan large enough to hold the pasta, fry half of the leek in 2 tablespoons of olive oil on high heat until dark golden, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels. (You don’t want to leave the pan as the leeks cook because they can burn in a second. Stir often and pull out any leek slices that cook faster. I burned half of my first batch the first time I tried this.)

Add the remaining leek to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the wine and the sugar and stir to combine. Toss in the par-cooked spaghetti, raise the heat and stir constantly, adding the remaining wine only a few tablespoons at a time. Toss the spaghetti frequently, keeping the heat high, so the wine is absorbed into the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente, adding more wine if needed. Stir in grated parmesan until fully incorporated, then taste and season with salt if needed, and pepper.

Top each serving with a dollop of the ricotta mixture, some fried leeks and a sprinkle of almonds.

ABOUT LEEKS –

If you haven’t bought or cooked with leeks before, you may have a few questions, like what part do you even use? So here’s some info that might help…

Leeks are usually available year-round. They have a cylindrical stalk with layered green leaves. They should be crisp and healthy looking. Because dirt tends to get in between the layers, make sure you clean and rise well. You can store in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Place leeks on a cutting surface to trim. Cut a thin slice off the root end and cut the dark, green, tough leaves off the other end and discard.

Cut in half and slice, or just slice, depending on size you want. (You’ll use the light-colored section of the stalk.)