Gochujang Pasta (Cappelletti)

The following recipe is really quick and easy, yet makes a flavorful and spicy pasta. You just need 20 minutes. If you have a boring marinara sauce (basic tomato sauce) in your pantry, transform it into a great spicy pork sauce.

I used "Gochujang, 고추장" for the spicy flavor. Gochujang is Korean hot chili paste, and you can find it easily in any Asian market. It is made of red chili powder, fermented soybean, malt, grain syrup, sweet rice, salt and water, and is fermented from a few weeks to over years. Since Gochujang is made with not just chili but many sweet components, it has subtle sweet flavor even after the fermenting period that actually goes really well with tomato sauce.


Gochujang Pasta (Cappelletti)
(Yield: 4 servings / Cooking time: 20 min)

Ingredients:
+ 3 cups Setaro cappelletti*
+ 250g ground pork
+ 1 cup marinara sauce (please see [Basic] Tomato Sauce recipe)
+ 1 Tbsp Gochujang
+ 2 cloves of garlic
+ 1/2 onion
+ chives for garnish
+ salt & pepper



* I used dried cappelletti from Setaro, but you can use any short pasta which sauce can easily cling to, such as conchiglie, fusilli, pipe or rigatoni. Setaro is a brand name which, in my opinion, makes the best dried pasta. You can buy Setaro pasta from Buon Italia at Chelsea Market in NYC. (Please visit www.buonitalia.com for more information).


Procedures:

1. Chop onion in small dice, mince garlic, and chop chives.


2. Start boiling water in a large pot to cook pasta.

3. In a large pan, cook ground pork over medium-low heat to render the fat while stirring continuously. Season with pepper only. Because Gochujang is salty enough, you don't need to add salt.


4. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Over medium heat, sauté until onions become translucent.




5. Add Gochujang. Cook until Gochujang is little bit caramelized while mixing & stirring the ingredients with a cooking spoon continuously.


6. Add tomato sauce (marinara sauce) and again, mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.


7. Water should be boiling now. Add enough salt and pour the pasta. Cook for about 8minutes and taste. Cook until the pasta is cooked properly.


8. By using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer the pasta to #6 sauce. Mix the pasta with sauce well over low heat.


9. Plate the pasta and garnish with chopped chives.

Enjoy~