Pasta, Potatoes and Provola

🛒 Ingredients

• 320g Mixed pasta or broken candele
• 500g Potatoes
• 200g Smoked Provola CRT SRI
• 100g Pancetta tesa (optional)
• 70g Tomato passata
• 50g Onion
• 50g Carrot
• 30g Celery
• 40ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 5g Fresh chili pepper
• 8 foglie Fresh basil
• 40g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 8g Fine salt
• 2g Freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 Litri Hot vegetable broth

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Passo 1: Peel and finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery for the soffritto. Cut the pancetta tesa into small cubes (if using).
2. Passo 2: In a large, high-sided pot, pour the extra virgin olive oil and add the pancetta (if using) and chili pepper. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until the pancetta is crispy and has rendered its fat.
3. Passo 3: Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté gently until the vegetables are tender and translucent.
4. Passo 4: Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes of about 1-2 cm. Add them to the soffritto, stir, and let them flavor for about 5 minutes.
5. Passo 5: Add the tomato passata and let it cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Passo 6: Pour about 1 liter of hot vegetable broth over the potatoes, salt lightly. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender (they should still hold their shape).
7. Passo 7: At this point, add the pasta directly to the pot with the potatoes and broth. The technique is similar to risotto: cook the pasta, stirring frequently and adding the remaining hot vegetable broth little by little, as it is absorbed, until the pasta is al dente.
8. Passo 8: When the pasta is cooked al dente and the mixture is creamy (it should be neither too liquid nor too dry), remove the pot from the heat.
9. Passo 9: Tagliare la provola affumicata a cubetti piccoli. Aggiungerla alla pasta e patate, insieme al Grated Parmigiano Reggiano e la metà del basilico fresco tritato grossolanamente.
10. Passo 10: Stir vigorously to melt the provola and cheese, creating a dense and stringy mantecatura. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
11. Passo 11: Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with the remaining fresh basil leaves and a grind of black pepper.

💡 Chef's Tips

• For a more intense flavor, you can use light meat broth instead of vegetable broth.
• The choice of mixed pasta or broken candele is crucial for the success of the dish, as these shapes absorb the sauce well.
• Adding the provola off the heat is crucial for a perfect mantecatura that releases all its smoky aroma without becoming too hard or gummy.
• The potatoes should not be too soft before adding the pasta, otherwise they will disappear in the final cooking.