Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile

Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super affordable. It is also an excellent partner for pasta. Caramelizing the cabbage in butter creates a deep sweetness and silky texture, with the denser portions of the leaves retaining a bit of juicy crunch.

Here, spicy Calabrian chiles add a contrasting kick of heat; look for them in a jar in the condiment section of the grocery store. Add them late in the cooking process so their flavor doesn’t fully permeate the whole dish but rather creates little pops of heat and acidity in each bite. The recipe calls for 1 tsp., which is a moderate amount; if you’re a hothead, increase that amount.

Note: Slice up a few peperoncini and add them to the sauce when you add the Calabrian chiles; they’ll contribute a nice acidity and a bit of a sauerkraut flavor.