Neapolitan Pasta with Potatoes and Provola (Pasta e Patate)
Pasta e patate con la provola Say it: PAH-stah eh pah-TAH-teh
Pasta e patate is the quintessential Neapolitan comfort dish: short pasta simmered risotto-style in the same pot as sweet onions, carrots, celery and chunks of potato, so the starch thickens the cooking liquid into a creamy, spoon-coating sauce. Off the heat, cubes of provola melt into long, stretchy strings that pull with every forkful. It is a humble everyday primo, made from what a Neapolitan pantry already holds, yet it tastes rich, savoury and deeply satisfying.
Neapolitan Pasta with Potatoes and Provola (Pasta e Patate)
Pasta e patate con la provola
Pronounced PAH-stah eh pah-TAH-teh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pot
To finish
Method
Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until soft, sweet and translucent but not browned.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than sharp.
Add the potatoes and toss to coat in the soffritto. Season with the salt and cook for 2 minutes, until the cubes shine and the edges begin to soften.
Pour in 3 cups (720 ml) of the hot water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender at the edges but still hold their shape in the middle.
Add the pasta and stir well. Cook at a steady simmer for 12-14 minutes, stirring often and adding the remaining hot water a ladleful at a time, as you would for risotto, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is loose and creamy, thick with potato starch.
Pull the pot off the heat, scatter the provola cubes over the top, cover with a lid and let stand for 2 minutes.
Stir firmly once or twice. the cheese should melt into long, stringy threads that pull through the pasta. If the mixture looks stiff, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
Rest for 5 minutes, then fold in the basil, grind over black pepper, drizzle with olive oil and serve in warm bowls, adding a little hot water at the table if it sets too firmly.
Regional variant: Pasta e patate con le cotiche (with pork rind)
The old Neapolitan version simmers strips of blanched pork rind with the potatoes. Boil 7 oz (200 g) fresh pork rind for 10 minutes, drain and cut into strips, then add them with the potatoes and cook 10 minutes longer before the pasta goes in. Use 1 tbsp (15 g) lard instead of olive oil, increase the tomato paste to 2 tbsp, and finish with grated pecorino instead of provola.
Cook's notes
- Use a wide, heavy pot: the broad surface helps the potatoes and pasta release starch without catching on the bottom.
- Always add the provola off the heat and stir only once or twice — over-stirring on the flame makes it clump instead of string.
- The dish thickens quickly as it cools; keep a jug of hot water nearby and loosen each portion just before serving.
Serve with
A glass of Falanghina or a light Aglianico, and a wedge of crusty bread to mop the bowls.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently in a pan with a splash of hot water, stirring until creamy again. It does not freeze well.
