Some dishes stop a room. Pasta e patate con provola affumicata is one of them. Born in the humble kitchens of Naples, this is a dish that turns three simple ingredients into something your guests will remember — and order again. For professional kitchens that value consistency and authenticity, this is your benchmark.
🏛️ Tradition
Pasta e patate has fed generations of Neapolitans — and today it fills the dining rooms of some of Europe’s most respected restaurants. The ingredient that elevates it: Provola Affumicata CRT SRI, produced in Campania from whole cow’s milk, naturally wood-smoked. It melts slowly, coats every piece of pasta, and delivers a smoky depth that arrives before the plate does. At LAPA, we carry over 2,000 carefully selected Italian products — delivered reliably across Switzerland. Call us: +41 76 361 70 21.
🛍️ Ingredients — serves 4
- 320g Mixed pasta or broken candele
- 500g Potatoes
- 200g Smoked Provola CRT SRI
- 100g Pancetta tesa (optionnel)
- 70g Tomato passata
- 50g Onion
- 50g Carrot
- 30g Celery
- 40ml Extra virgin olive oil
- 5g Fresh chili pepper
- 8 leaves Fresh basil
- 40g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 8g Fine salt
- 2g Freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 litres Hot vegetable broth
👨🍳 Method
- Step 1: Peel and finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Dice the pancetta (if using).
- Step 2: In a large deep pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and chili. Cook until the pancetta is crisp and has rendered its fat.
- Step 3: Add the onion, carrot and celery. Sweat gently until soft and translucent.
- Step 4: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-2 cm cubes. Add to the soffritto and let them absorb the flavors for 5 minutes.
- Step 5: Add the tomato passata and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 6: Pour in approximately 1 litre of hot broth. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender but still holding their shape.
- Step 7: Add the pasta directly to the pot. Cook risotto-style: stir frequently and add the remaining hot broth ladle by ladle until the pasta is al dente.
- Step 8: When the pasta is al dente and the mixture is creamy — neither too soupy nor too stiff — remove from heat.
- Step 9: Dice the smoked provola into small cubes. Add to the pot along with the grated Parmigiano and half the coarsely chopped basil.
- Step 10: Stir vigorously until the provola melts into golden threads throughout the pasta. Adjust seasoning.
- Step 11: Serve immediately, topped with the remaining basil leaves and a final grind of black pepper.
💡 Chef’s Notes
- For a richer result, substitute vegetable broth with a light meat broth.
- Mixed pasta or broken candele are the right choice — their irregular surfaces grip the sauce and hold up through cooking.
- Always add the provola off the heat: this is the key to a perfect, stringy mantecatura without the cheese turning rubbery.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes before adding the pasta — they need to hold their shape right to the end.
️ Order Smoked Provola 500g × 4kg
This product is available in our catalogue. LAPA supplies over 2,000 selected Italian products to professional kitchens across Switzerland — consistent quality, reliable delivery, no compromises. Get in touch: +41 76 361 70 21