Bicol Express Coconut Rigatoni with Crispy Pork Belly and Parmesan (Filipino × Italian)

Method

1. Put 3 L of water in a large pot with the salt and bring it to the boil on high heat, about 10 min. It should taste a little less salty than the sea.

   Add in this stepSalt (for the pasta water) 1½ tsp

   high heat

2. Cut the pork belly into 1 cm batons, put them in a cold 26 cm pan and cook slowly on medium heat for 9 min. When the fat has rendered and the pork is golden and crisp, lift half onto kitchen paper for the topping and leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.

   Add in this stepPork belly 160 g

   medium heat

3. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook on high heat for 10 min, 1 minute less than the packet says, so it stays al dente. Scoop out a cup of pasta water before draining.

   Add in this stepRigatoni or penne 180 g

   high heat

4. While the pasta cooks, add the minced shallots and garlic, the diagonally sliced long chillies and the sliced bird's eye chillies to the pork pan and fry on medium heat for 2 min. Add the bagoong for the last 30 seconds and fry until it smells savoury.

   Add in this stepShallots 1Garlic cloves 3Long green chillies 2Bird's eye chillies 1Bagoong alamang (ready-to-eat sautéed shrimp paste) 1½ tsp

   medium heat

5. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer on medium-low heat for 4 min until slightly thickened. Keep it at a gentle bubble at the edges; boiling hard makes it split.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk 280 ml

   medium-low heat

6. Add the drained pasta and 60 ml of the pasta water and toss hard on medium heat for 2 min, until the sauce clings to the pasta and looks glossy. Turn off the heat and stir in most of the Parmesan until melted. Add a little more pasta water if it tightens.

   Add in this stepParmigiano Reggiano, grated 21 g

   medium heat

7. Serve topped with the reserved crispy pork, the rest of the Parmesan and torn basil. Grate over a little lime zest and serve with lime wedges to squeeze.

   Add in this stepParmigiano Reggiano, grated 9 gBasil leaves 8Lime ½