Pasta e Patate "Azzeccata"
(PAH-stah eh pah-TAH-teh aht-tsek-KAH-tah)
Il Piatto della Sera: Nonna's Weeknight Stove
If there is a patron saint of turning nothing into a masterpiece, it is the Neapolitan grandmother. This isn't a watery soup; it's azzeccata—sticky, dense, and unapologetically rich. Built on pantry scraps, broken pasta odds and ends, and a hoarded Parmesan rind, it’s a brilliant, resourceful masterclass in cucina povera that transforms into a smoky, velvety hug on a bleak weeknight.
Before you start
Keep extra hot water nearby.
Because we cook the pasta directly in the broth, having a kettle of hot water on standby is crucial in case the pot gets too dry before the pasta finishes.
Raid your pantry for pasta.
If you can't find bags of mixed pasta (munnezzaglia), simply break up the leftover halves of spaghetti, ziti, and penne lingering in your cupboards.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- unsmoked pancetta4 oz
- yellow onion1 med
- carrot1 med
- celery1 stalk
- fresh rosemary1 sprig
- Yukon Gold potatoes1 1/2 lb
- tomato paste1 tbsp
- Parmigiano-Reggiano rind1 small
- hot water4 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- mixed short pasta12 oz
- Parmigiano-Reggiano1 cup
- smoked mozzarella8 oz
Method
- 01
Render the pork fat and build the soffritto.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat with the olive oil and pancetta. Cook until the fat renders and the edges crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary, sautéing until the vegetables soften.
- 02
Toast the potatoes and bloom the tomato paste.
Add the cubed potatoes, stirring well to coat them in the savory rendered fat. Let them toast for a few minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
- 03
Simmer to build the starchy broth.
Pour in the hot water, drop in the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Intentionally smash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken the liquid.
- 04
Cook the pasta directly in the pot.
Remove the rosemary sprig, bring the broth to a steady simmer, and pour the dry pasta straight in. Leave it uncovered and stir frequently so it doesn't stick, treating it like risotto and ladling in a splash of extra hot water if the pot looks dry before the pasta reaches al dente.
- 05
Finish off the heat for the magic cheese pull.
Once the liquid has reduced to a thick, glossy glaze, pull the pot off the heat. Vigorously stir in the grated Parmigiano and cubed smoked mozzarella for 60 seconds; the residual heat will melt the cheese into stretching, smoky strands throughout the dense pasta.
Notes
Adjust the starch balance.
American supermarket potatoes vary wildly in water content. If the dish feels too watery at the end, turn up the heat for the final 2 minutes and stir vigorously to evaporate the liquid and smash the potatoes further.
Let the dish rest.
Give the pot 3 to 5 minutes to sit off the heat before serving. This allows the starches to relax so the smoked cheese turns perfectly stringy rather than dissolving into a liquid sauce.
From Cook Italian in America.