Pasta allo Scammaro

By John, 27 October, 2026
Region
Italy
Campania
Description
Spaghetti allo Scammaro

Spaghetti allo Scammaro is a wonderful flavorful dish that was developed as a sustaining dish to be served on fast days. We know of it thanks to the 19th-century nobleman and gastronome Ippolito Cavalcanti, but it's probably much older.

Because it was for fast days, it includes no animal products, but it bursts with flavor from olives, capers, golden raisins, fresh basil and toasted breadcrumbs.

This dish is sometimes made in "frittata style" with the whole mass of seasoned spaghetti put into a hot skillet to crisp the bottom, then it's flipped to crisp the other side as well.

Yield
6 Servings
Preparation time
10 minutes
Cooking time
10 minutes
Total time
20 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb Spaghetti
1⁄2 c Sultanas
1 c Black Olives (pitted and quartered)
2 T Capers (rinsed)
1⁄2 c Pine Nuts
3 clv Garlic (crushed)
3 T Olive oil
1⁄2 c Dried Breadcrumbs (toasted)
1 sprig of fresh basil (leaves chopped)
Instructions
  1. Put the pasta water on to boil.
  2. Soak the raisins in a small bowl of warm water.
  3. Drain the olives, rinse them well and cut them in quarters.
  4. Rinse the capers.
  5. Toast the breadcrumbs and chop the basil leaves.
  6. In a large pan, pour a drizzle of olive oil and brown the garlic cloves for a few minutes. 
  7. Boil the spaghetti in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package.
  8. Remove the browned garlic and add the raisins, olives, capers, and pine nuts.
  9. Cook over low heat for a few minutes, then add a ladle of the pasta water and let it simmer.
  10. Once cooked, drain the spaghetti and quickly toss it in the pan with the sauce.
  11. Add half of the breadcrumbs and chopped basil and toss well. Put into a serving dish.
  12. Top with remaining breadcrumbs and basil and serve immediately.
Notes

Parsley can be used instead of basil.

Source

Adapted from https://primochef.it/ricetta-pasta-allo-scammaro/prodottitipici/