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pasta e patate napoli recipe

Pasta e Patate alla Napoletana (Neapolitan Pasta and Potatoes)

A cozy Neapolitan one-pot dish made with pasta, potatoes, and a savory soffritto. Simmered together with tomato, cheese rind, and smoked provola, it turns simple ingredients into a creamy, silky comfort bowl that feels like home.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Comfort Food, Main Course
Cuisine: Neapolitan (Southern Italian)
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the base:
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 60 g lard or 80 g diced pancetta/prosciutto ends
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk finely diced
  • 1 carrot finely diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste or 2 tbsp tomato passata
For the main pot:
  • 500 g waxy potatoes Yukon Gold or red, cut into ½–1 inch cubes
  • 7 cups broth or 1 liter water add more as needed
  • 1 Parmigiano rind
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 300 g short pasta pasta mista, ditalini, small shells, farfalline, or orecchiette
For finishing:
  • 100 g smoked provola or scamorza cheese diced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • Grated Pecorino or Parmigiano for serving
Optional flavor boosters:
  • Pinch of saffron bloomed in warm broth
  • Swap pancetta for guanciale for extra depth

Method
 

Render the fat and soften aromatics
  1. Warm olive oil in a large pot. Add lard or pancetta and cook 6–8 minutes until lightly crisp. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook 4–5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
Toast the tomato base
  1. Push the vegetables to one side. Add tomato paste and toast 1–2 minutes until darker and aromatic. This deepens the flavor.
Add potatoes, rind, and liquid
  1. Stir in diced potatoes, rosemary, and the Parmigiano rind. Pour in broth or water to just cover the potatoes. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, partly covered, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Add pasta and cook together
  1. When the potatoes are soft, add dry pasta directly to the same pot. Stir often as it cooks. The starch released from the pasta will naturally thicken the sauce.
Adjust the texture
  1. If the mix becomes too thick, splash in warm water or broth a little at a time. For a silkier finish, mash a few potato cubes against the pot wall.
Finish with cheese and season
  1. Turn off the heat. Stir in diced smoked provola so it melts gently. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
Serve and garnish
  1. Spoon into warm bowls. Top with grated cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a crack of black pepper.

Notes

  • Texture control: Stir often while pasta cooks. For a stickier “azzeccata” texture, simmer gently until the sauce clings to the pasta. For soupier bowls, add more broth.
  • No cream needed: The starch from the potatoes and pasta makes the sauce naturally silky.
  • Cheese tip: Always add smoked provola or scamorza off the heat so it melts smoothly, not stringy.
  • Leftovers: Keep up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of warm water to revive the creaminess. Avoid freezing.
  • Bonus idea: Turn leftovers into a crispy gratin or a potato-pasta frittata the next day.