An authentic Neapolitan recipe made with ‘Paccheri’ pasta

Paccheri are large pasta tubes originally from Naples which pair perfectly with fish and other chunky sauces. The size and shape of this traditional pasta allow them to be stuffed with ricotta or other ingredients. The name “paccheri”comes from the ancient Greek meaning ‘slap’ – the noise that they supposedly make when lifted from the plate with a fork!

In this recipe, all the main ingredients come from the Naples area; the anchovies from the Amalfi Coast and the pasta from Gragnano, the capital of Italian pasta, all making for very authentic Parthenopean dish!

Ingredients for 4 people 

360g Paccheri Gragnano Pasta

15 Cetara anchovies preserved in oil

20 fresh cherry tomatoes

Parsley q.b. (quanto basta – as much as you need)

Fresh chilli pepper q.b.

Clove of garlic

anchoviescherry tomatoespaccheri

 

Method

Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters.

Over a moderate heat gently brown the garlic in the hot olive oil.

Add the fresh chilli (seeded and chopped) and then the anchovies, making them dissolve in the oil.

Add the tomatoes and sauté over a high heat until they become soft.

Cook the Paccheri  in a large pan of salted water until al dente.

Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and sauté for a few moments

Garnish with one or two rolled anchovies and a pinch of fresh parsley.

Buon appetito!