Mezzi paccheri, a delightful pasta shape, lends itself to a variety of delectable dishes. This article explores several recipes, from the classic Neapolitan rendition to innovative Mediterranean and seafood-infused preparations. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook, prepare to embark on a culinary journey celebrating the versatility of mezzi paccheri.
Paccheri alla Napoletana: A Rustic Neapolitan Delight
Paccheri alla Napoletana is a first course with an incredible taste, rustic and flavorful, perfect for Sunday lunches when the whole family gathers around the table! A Neapolitan recipe rich in traditions, just think of the pasta shape, the paccheri that are often used in Naples and that accompany both seafood and meat sauces. In this case, it is absolutely a meat sauce, very fragrant and aromatic thanks to the presence of abundant basil and guanciale. A middle ground between a sort of Neapolitan ragout and a lardiata.
This recipe is very simple to make, the right idea for those who want to serve a tasty, homemade, rustic but easy-to-make first course. When you want to make the paccheri alla napoletana recipe, you will initially have to dedicate yourself to the battuto, so prepare a mince of celery, carrot, and onion. Heat a drizzle of oil in a saucepan, add the prepared mince and let it fry over low heat for about 5-6 minutes, being careful not to burn it. When the sauté is slightly browned, add the blended peeled tomatoes to the saucepan, mix, flavor with the basil leaves and season with salt. Soften the tomato sauce with a little pasta cooking water, in case it has shrunk too much, then drain the paccheri al dente and transfer them to the pan with the sauce, let it flavor for a few moments, mixing everything together.
If you can't find guanciale, you can substitute it with some excellent quality thinly sliced pancetta.
Ingredients:
- 250g Mezzi Paccheri Pasta
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery Stalk
- 1 Onion
- 2 Cloves of Garlic
- 100g Tomato Paste
- ½ glass of Red Wine
- Basil
- Salt
Mezzi Paccheri with Octopus: A Seafood Symphony
This recipe combines the delightful mezzi paccheri with the delicate flavor of octopus, creating a memorable seafood experience.
Leggi anche: Lievito e Farina: Proporzioni Ideali
Preparation:
- Clean the octopus well, washing the sac inside, removing the eyes and the beak, being careful to leave it whole.
- Put the octopus without water in the pot, add, after washing them, the carrot, the celery stalk and the bay leaves. Close with the lid and cook for 40 minutes, never removing the lid, not even to turn it, it is not necessary.
- Cut the tentacles and set them aside for another recipe (see grilled tentacles on a bed of purple potatoes). Chop the remaining octopus (the central part) into cubes.
- Put a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil on the heat to prepare the sauté. Chop the carrot, celery stalk, onion and put in the pan, adding 2 whole cloves of garlic so that you can then remove them.
- After 5 minutes, add the tomato paste and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the 2 cloves of garlic.
- Heat the water to cook the pasta. In the meantime, put a final touch to the sauce. Add half a glass of wine and let the alcohol evaporate slightly.
- Throw in the pasta and let it cook, then pour the mezzi paccheri directly into the pot where the sauce is. Turn off the heat and stir with a spoon, then move the pot quickly, making the pasta jump, so that the sauce blends well everywhere.
- Put the pastry cutter in the center of the plate of the single diner, pour the pasta with the sauce until it is full. Let it harden for a few moments, remove the pastry cutter and put a fillet of raw oil.
Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati: A Pasta Pasqualina Creation
This recipe features Italian Wheat Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati (from the Special Shapes line) no. 887, transforming it into a delightful "Pasta Pasqualina."
Ingredients:
- Italian Wheat Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati (from the Special Shapes line) no. 887
- Ricotta cheese
- Spinach
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Tomato sauce
- Garlic
- Nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Add the tomato purée, season with salt, add the basil and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes.
- Cook the Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati no. 887 in boiling salted water for half of their cooking time. Drain and add a drizzle of oil to prevent them from sticking together. Leave to cool.
- Heat a drizzle of oil with garlic in a large frying pan, add the spinach and cover. Allow to sweat for 4-5 minutes, uncover and season with salt and pepper. Keep cooking until any liquid has been absorbed, squeeze the onions dry and chop them finely with a knife.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the spinach and half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Put the mixture into a pastry bag and set aside.
- In the meantime, line a round baking tin with greaseproof paper, pour about half the sauce onto the bottom and stuff the Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati with the filling.
- Stand them side by side in the baking tin. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with more grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
- Peel and cut the hard-boiled eggs into rounds and arrange them on the Mezzi Paccheri Ondulati.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 25-30 minutes until golden.
- Once ready, remove from the oven, allow to sit for a little, then transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and serve.
Mezzi Paccheri alla Mediterranea: A Taste of the Mediterranean
This recipe captures the essence of the Mediterranean with a delightful blend of flavors.
Ingredients:
- 160 g of mezzi paccheri
- 2/3 anchovies in oil
- EVO oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Salt and pepper
- Mediterranean vegetable mix (e.g., Orogel Tris Mediterraneo)
Preparation:
- Pour the Mediterranean vegetable mix (Tris Mediterraneo), a tablespoon of EVO oil, and the anchovies into a non-stick pan. Cover and cook over moderate heat for 6 minutes.
- Cook the mezzi paccheri in a pan for about 5 minutes.
- Blend 1/3 of the Mediterranean vegetable mix with half a glass of pasta cooking water.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the mix of eggplant and the blended cream. Mix everything in the pan for 2 minutes.
Pacchero “Da Vittorio”: A Star-Studded Experience
The pacchero “Da Vittorio” is a renowned dish sold at the "stellar" price of €35. In addition to having simple but high-quality raw materials, this recipe includes finishing the pacchero in the dining room, in front of the customer, where the waiter mixes the pacchero with butter and Parmesan at the last moment. The main characteristic lies in the selection of tomatoes.
Preparation:
Add all the tomatoes: peeled tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes and canned cherry tomatoes.
The Essence of a Great Dish: Quality and Passion
"What we do is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean without that drop would be smaller." This quote, attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, emphasizes that any action we take with love, with dedication, even if it seems insignificant in the eyes of the world, and many times even to ourselves, actually always has a value. And this is even more true when we evaluate the reflections of our actions on others: if we give up doing good, not only do we lose out, but also those who could benefit from the good we do. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field."
Leggi anche: Come preparare Biscotti Cioccolato
Leggi anche: Ricetta Spaghetti Colatura e Limone