Spaghetti with a twist: Local chef shares heartwarming story behind her one-of-a-kind recipe

HOUSTON – Bring your appetite, because we’re carb loading for National Pasta Day!

The Culinary Director of Dish Society and Daily Gather, Chef Brandi Key is putting a twist on traditional spaghetti with a very special recipe. Watch the video above for the heartwarming story.

If you’d like to make Chef Brandi’s dish, Spaghetti Lola, here’s the recipe.

SPAGHETTI LOLA

Yield: 4, plus extra sauce

LOLA SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 10-12 basil leaves
• 6 each garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 each 28 oz. cans San Marzano Tomatoes
• Kosher salt, as needed

SPAGHETTI LOLA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. dried pasta, spinach flavored
• 2-3 cups Lola sauce, warm
• Kosher salt & black pepper (as needed)
• 16 basil leaves
• 4 oz. burrata
• 1 oz. extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch Maldon Salt, to finish

LOLA SAUCE DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the extra virgin olive oil, pinch of red pepper flakes, basil leaves and garlic cloves in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the oil mixture to a simmer then remove from the heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes to release the flavor of the ingredients into the oil.

2. In the meantime, open the cans of tomatoes and transfer to a bowl. Gently squeeze the tomatoes in your hands to break up the big pieces, so that all pieces are approximately ¼”-½” in size.

3. Place the tomatoes in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the tomatoes to a gentle simmer, and then season to taste with kosher salt. NOTE: Canned tomato products are not all equal and could possibly need a pinch of sugar to help bring out the natural taste of the tomatoes. The final heated tomatoes should be well seasoned and a touch sweet when the tomatoes are completely ripe.

4. Once the oil has steeped for 20 minutes and is full of flavor, using a fine mesh strainer, strain the oil into the heated and seasoned tomatoes. Stir aggressively with a whisk to emulsify the oil into the tomatoes.

5.The sauce at this point is done and will be silky smooth and well-seasoned with aromatic notes of garlic & basil. Do not overcook the sauce as it is best when it is light, fresh, and not overly concentrated.

SPAGHETTI LOLA DIRECTIONS:

6. Place a large pot of water on the stove and season the water aggressively with kosher salt. The water should TASTE salty. When the water is boiling, add the dried spaghetti to the pot and cook, stirring regularly to keep the strands separated while cooking. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is just cooked through with a small bite to it.

7. In the meantime, place the Lola sauce in a large pan big enough to hold the pasta and heat gently over medium heat.

8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

9. Add the cooked pasta to the Lola sauce and stir to combine. Add a couple TBSP of the pasta water to the pan with the basil leaves and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce begins sticking nicely to the noodles. If the sauce looks dry, add another couple TBSP of the pasta water.

10. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

11. Portion the pasta between 4 plates, making sure to twist the noodles into a high pile in the center of the plate.

12. Divide the burrata into 4 pieces, and place on top of each bowl of pasta.

13. Finish with a pinch of Maldon Salt on the burrata and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over each plate.

14. Serve immediately.

To connect with Chef Brandi, click here.

For more information on Dish Society, click here.

For more information on Daily Gather, click here.