Drunken Pasta
Will this pasta get you drunk?
Short answer: no.
But it does taste like it might.
That deep, slightly funky, almost jammy flavour you get in every bite — that’s the wine doing its thing. Most of the alcohol cooks off as the pasta simmers, but what you’re left with is something far more interesting: concentrated flavour.
And that’s really the point of this dish.
A bit of history
This pasta is often referred to as “spaghetti all’ubriaco” — literally translating to drunken spaghetti.
Spaghetti all’ubriaco comes from central Italy, particularly regions like Tuscany and Umbria, where wine isn’t just something you drink — it’s something you cook with instinctively.
The origin story isn’t very precise (as with many rustic dishes), but it likely comes from cucina povera traditions — cooking with what you had on hand. And if you were in wine country, you always had wine.
Instead of using stock or water, pasta would sometimes be finished — or even fully cooked — in red wine. Not as a gimmick, but as a way to build depth without adding more ingredients.
What it tastes like
The first bite can catch you off guard.
There’s a slight sharpness from the wine, a kind of earthy bitterness that’s not typical of most pasta sauces. But then it settles. The butter rounds it out, the garlic brings warmth, and the parmesan ties everything together into something that just… works.
This dish is one that shouldn’t work — but does. It’s bold, a little unusual, and definitely not subtle.
But if you’re cooking for people and want to put something on the table that sparks conversation… this is it.
Recipe (Serves 2)
Ingredients
200 g spaghetti
1 litres water
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp MSG (optional)
1½ cups (350 ml) red wine (use something you’d actually drink)
2–3 tbsp pasta water (as needed)
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp butter
Parmesan, for garnish
Method
1. Par-cook the pasta
Bring water to a boil, salt it well.
Cook the spaghetti for about 3 minutes — it should still be very underdone.
Remove and reserve at least ½ cup pasta water.
2. Build the base
In a wide pan, heat olive oil.
Add garlic + chili flakes and cook gently till fragrant.
You’re not browning the garlic — just letting it flavour the oil and pick up colour from the chili.
3. Cook in wine
Pour in the red wine and bring it to a simmer.
Add the spaghetti directly into the pan and cook it in the wine for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently.
The pasta will absorb the wine as it cooks. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
4. Finish
Once the pasta is cooked through and the liquid has reduced, season with salt, MSG, add butter, and toss till it turns glossy and slightly thickened. Finish with parmesan!
