This spaghetti with black garlic sauce and burrata is a fabulous rich and luxurious dish that combines the deep umami flavor of black garlic and anchovies with the creamy freshness of burrata. The recipe comes from Michelin star chef Andrea Bertarini. Made with just 6 main ingredients, this is a modern, elegant pasta recipe that’s surprisingly easy to make and a feast for your taste buds.
Where this recipe comes from.
Black garlic isn’t a traditional Italian ingredient, although of course normal garlic is. So, I was surprised and thrilled when I came across Italian produced black garlic being sold in a local supermarket close to where I live in Veneto. Then, when I looked for recipes online, I was happy to find quite a few Italian recipes for pasta with black garlic.
The first one I decided to try was this spaghetti with black garlic sauce and burrata, from Michelin star chef Andrea Bertarini. I found the recipe on an Italian website called Reporter Gourmet which features news and articles about chefs and fine dining restaurants around the world and in Italy, as well as recipes. It’s a site worth checking out.
Chef Bertarini is from Varese, Italy but lives and works in Ticino, Switzerland. He was awarded his first Michelin star when he was only 29 years old. The only change I made to his black garlic pasta recipe was I used whole capers. He uses caper powder which is an ingredient I have never come across.
What is black garlic?
Black garlic is basically fermented raw garlic. It has a really deep black color, a rather soft texture, and a sweet, tangy flavor. People compare the taste to balsamic vinegar, molasses, or tamarind.
Black garlic is made by fermenting whole bulbs of regular garlic at a controlled low heat and high humidity over a number of weeks, usually between 3 to 6 weeks. Apparently, this process doesn’t involve using any additives. It requires just time, temperature, and moisture to transform the garlic.
I have read that black garlic likely originated in Korea, Thailand, or maybe Japan, where they have used it for centuries for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It became popular here in the West about 20 years ago, particularly in fine dining, hence the origin of this spaghetti with black garlic recipe.
However, even home cooks are now using black garlic in both savory and sweet dishes including with pasta and risotto and in sauces or as a topping for meat or vegetables.
Ingredients for this spaghetti with black garlic sauce.
Despite it’s fine dining origin, this recipe actually calls for just 6 main ingredients and takes very little time to make. Apart from the black garlic you will need the following..
For the sauce.
Anchovies: The original recipe calls for salted anchovy fillets which have been well rinsed. I also used these. But, you can also use anchovies preserved in olive oil. Anchovies add a wonderful umami flavor to dishes. They practically dissolve when cooked in oil and don’t leave a fishy taste or smell. They are also very nutritious and have many vitamins and minerals that provide major health benefits
Salted capers: The original recipe makes use of caper powder which is an ingredient I haven’t come across before. I used whole salted capers. Like the anchovies, these need to be well rinsed. Capers are actually pickled flower bulbs and a common Mediterranean ingredient. They add a unique tangy flavor to the dish.
Chicken broth: Chicken broth is the main liquid ingredient in the black garlic sauce in which you will finish cooking the less than al dente spaghetti like in a risotto. Use a homemade filtered chicken broth or a low-sodium store bought broth. I like to use store bought broth that’s 100% natural with no additives. If you want to keep this recipe meat-free, use a fish or vegetable broth instead.
Peperoncino (red chili pepper): Dried red chili flakes are best for this recipe. However, I think you could also use fresh pepperoncino instead. Cut it into small pieces and sauté with the anchovies. How much you use, depends on personal taste. You can also omit the spice.
Olive oil: I suggest using extra virgin olive oil if possible as it has a fresher taste and richness which you can’t find in other types of oil or cooking fats.
For the finished dish.
Burrata: Burrata is a fabulous fresh cheese originally from Puglia. The outside of this cheese is mozzarella (It even looks like a soft mozzarella ball) but the inside is made from stracciatella cheese and cream. The creaminess of the burrata in this recipe really balances the stronger flavors of the black garlic and anchovies. You could also use just stracciatella or even really fresh ricotta if burrata isn’t available.
Spaghetti: The chef behind this black garlic recipe recommends using thick spaghetti called spaghettone from Gragnano, a town near Naples, famous for its dried pasta production. But you can find similar thick spaghetti from other pasta makers. I used spaghettone from pasta makers Felicetti.
The important feature is that the pasta is made with bronze-dies. Using other types of pasta will not have the same results because you need pasta that will absorb the sauce and release starch while it’s cooking in the sauce. You can also use normal spaghetti but cooking times may be different.
Step by step instructions for black garlic spaghetti.
1) Rinse the anchovies and capers well if using salted ones. Cut the anchovies and black garlic into small pieces. Put a large pot of water onto boil for the spaghetti, add salt once it comes to a boil.
2) Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet that’s big enough to hold the spaghetti too. Add half the anchovies to the oil and stir until they dissolve.
3) Add the black garlic to the skillet and after a minute add the chicken broth. Mix and then transfer this liquid to a food processor or blender before it gets really hot. Pulse until the sauce turns black and the garlic cloves are no longer visible.
4) Pour the sauce back into the skillet and then cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water until not actually al dente (about 2-3 minutes less than stated on the package instructions). Save a cup of pasta water, drain and add the spaghetti to the black sauce.
5) Over a low-medium heat, use a wooden spoon to stir the spaghetti as you would risotto until it is cooked and the sauce has a creamy consistency. If you need more liquid, use the reserved pasta water.
6) Add the pepperoncino flakes, the rest of the anchovies and the capers. Mix again and continue cooking for a minute. Then plate immediately.
7) Serve with fresh burrata, freshly ground black pepper and a little more peperoncino if you like your pasta spicy!
What to do with leftovers.
If you have leftover spaghetti with black garlic sauce, you can keep it in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top with a dash of water. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers of this dish.
FAQs
You could also use just stracciatella, mozzarella or even really fresh ricotta if burrata isn’t available.
If you don’t have thick spaghetti, you could use normal spaghetti, bucatini or linguine. Make sure you pasta is made with bronze dies for best results.
Pin for later.
Let me know what you think.
I love that this black garlic spaghetti looks and tastes like a dish from a fine dining restaurant, yet it’s easy to make and calls for just a few ingredients. It’s perfect for entertaining and special occasions. I’m sure you’ll agree once you try it!
If you make this recipe, do let me know what you think. ou can write a comment here on the blog or on the Pasta Project Facebook page. Your feedback is much appreciated!
Buon appetito!
Spaghetti with black garlic sauce and burrata.
This spaghetti with black garlic sauce and burrata is a fabulous rich, luxurious dish that combines the deep umami flavor of black garlic and anchovies with the creamy freshness of burrata. Made with just 6 main ingredients, this is a modern, elegant pasta dish that’s surprisingly easy to make and a feast for your taste buds.
Equipment
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1 deep skillet to cook sauce and finish spaghetti in.
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1 large pot to par-cook the spaghetti
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1 food blender or processor to liqudize sauce
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces thick spaghetti or bucatini, normal spaghetti or linguine (bronze-died)
- 8-10 black garlic cloves
- 7 floz chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon salted capers well rinsed
- 8 anchovy fillets salted or in oil.
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper) according to taste
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper. to taste
- 7 ounces fresh burrata or mozzarella, stracciatellaor or really fresh ricotta.
Instructions
To make the black garlic sauce.
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Rinse the anchovies and capers well if using salted ones. Cut the anchovies and black garlic into small pieces. Put a large pot of water onto boil for the spaghetti,add salt once it comes to a boil.
-
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet that’s big enough to hold the spaghetti too. Add half the anchovies to the oil and stir until they dissolve.
-
Add the black garlic to the skillet and after a minute add the chicken broth. Mix and then transfer this liquid to a food processor or blender before it gets really hot. Pulse until the sauce turns black and the garlic cloves are no longer visible.
-
Pour the sauce back into the skillet and simmer over a low heat. Then cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water until not completely al dente (about 2-3 minutes less than stated on the package instructions). Save a cup of pasta water, drain and add the spaghetti to the black sauce.
-
Over a low-medium heat, use a wooden spoon to continuously stir the spaghetti as you would risotto until it is cooked and the sauce has a creamy consistency. If you need more liquid, use the reserved pasta water.
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Add the peperoncino flakes, the rest of the anchovies and the capers. Mix again and continue cooking for a minute. Then plate immediately.
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Serve with fresh burrata, freshly ground black pepper and a little more peperoncino if you like your pasta spicy!
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Notes
It’s important to use pasta that was made with bronze-dies. It will have a rougher surface that absorbs the sauce better and releases starch to thicken the sauce as well while it finishes cooking in the sauce like risotto.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 22gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 377mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 501IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 302mgIron: 2mg
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