Orecchiette con Aglio e Peperoncino

All pasta shapes work well in this incredibly fiery pasta dish, but orecchiette are particularly suitable, since their blandness and chewy texture act as a perfect foil for the hot sauce. The region that created this recipe, Basilicata, is famous for its use of chilli (known locally as il diavolino or ‘the little devil’), which locals eat in large quantities and intensity without any obvious ill-effects.