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Italian Fried Pasta

Italian Fried Pasta
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4.9 from 7 reviews

Italian Fried Pasta is crispy, salty, cheesy – and ridiculously good!

Ingredients

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1 pound spiral macaroni (Cavatappi), or your favorite pasta

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dry basil

1 teaspoon dry oregano

1/4 pound Genoa salami, diced small, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta in salted water to about two minutes less than done. (Still a bit chewy). Pour into a strainer, cool with cold water and drain completely.
  2. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and pour drained pasta on top and cover with more paper towels to absorb most of the water.
  3. In a wide heavy bottomed saute pan or wok, heat oil over medium low heat and add pepper flakes and garlic and let cook for 15 or so minutes until garlic is golden brown and soft (keep turning garlic to brown all sides). Remove cooked garlic to your cutting board and dice fine. Set that aside.
  4. Pour half of the oil into a heat proof small bowl. We will be frying the pasta in two batches and need to reserve half of the oil to do so.
  5. Pour the drained and dried pasta into the empty pan you cooked it in and toss with the salt, pepper, basil and oregano.
  6. Heat half the oil over high heat and once hot, add half of the salami and half of the seasoned pasta and fry for 5-10 minutes until some of the pasta pieces start to brown and develop a crust. I tossed mine every minute, so they had time to brown on the bottom, then I tossed and let them brown some more. Each of my batches took about eight minutes. Use a strainer or spider and remove to a large bowl and toss with half of each cheese.
  7. Heat the remaining oil and once hot, repeat the process for the salami and pasta and cheese.
  8. Add the two batches together along with the cooked chopped garlic from earlier, and pour into a serving bowl and enjoy.

Find it online: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/italian-fried-pasta/