This dish of Pomodoro Guajillo Pasta sent Caroline Diaz to Milan for the world-wide cook off in 2018. But Spaghetti Pomodoro put her in the winners circle. (Photo: Barilla)
The Barilla Pasta people sponsor a cooking Super Bowl each year. The Pasta World Championship is held in Italy and is always won by men. But in 2018, an American woman of Mexican heritage, Caroline Diaz, bested 16 other chefs with her simple Spaghetti Pomodoro with 7 ingredients.
The Chicago chef, Caroline Diaz, gave the pasta dish a Mediterranean-Mexican spin with a Midwestern twist to win the pasta Olympics. “I did Italian my way,” she said. “I put my heart on the plate.” Photo Christine Gallary)
Spaghetti Pomodoro: The winning pasta! (Photo: Barilla)
One of the seven ingredients was fresh cherry tomatoes, the item you’re likely to be getting in abundance soon from your garden or a neighbor. The recipe calls for a ton of garlic—an entire cup—a small serrano pepper, basil and lemon zest. That’s about it. Maybe it was the garlic, but it blew the judges away.
