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Home , Calamarata, Campania, Giovanni Rana, Italian cuisine, Linguine, Mafaldine

12 from and Jacqueline Debono 12 Authentic Neapolitan Recipes

Many of the world’s most popular Italian dishes come from Naples, think , caprese , and with .

The latter is just one of many iconic pasta recipes you can find in Naples and the rest of Campania!

These 12 Authentic Neapolitan pasta recipes are just a sample of those wonderful pasta dishes.

Naples and the rest of Campania is a pasta lover’s dream! In this Southern Italian region, you can find the largest number of high quality artisan pasta producers in .

Dried pasta has been made here for more than 500 years and many popular pasta shapes were created here. Paccheri, , , , , , elicoidale, , vesuvio, scialatielle and candele are just a few of the pasta shapes from Campania.

Campania is also home to some of the best and in Italy. In fact, it is the agri- centre of the country, producing more than 500 traditional . Tomatoes (San Marzano and Piennolo del Vesuvio), , sweet peppers, , spring , broccoli, , oil and are just a few of the local ingredients that go into Neapolitan .

Apart from fruit and veg you can also find amazing seafood, (e.g. di bufala), and other types of , and meat such as , quail, and lamb. All these above mentioned foods are used in Neapolitan pasta recipes, of which there are many!

These 12 authentic Neapolitan pasta recipes are just some of the ones on The Pasta Project. And, of , there are hundreds more to be discovered! Vesuvio Pasta with and Black

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 20 mins 40 mins 60 mins

If using dried Cook the pasta The night before soak the beans in a pan. Make sure they Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, add once it are well covered with water! The next day rinse them and starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta a Pasta and beans is one of the most traditional dishes in the Italian . This simple cook for about one hour in plenty of fresh water. Once they couple of minutes less than the time stated on the dish is eaten throughout Italy. Each region has its own or recipes! One of the most well-known versions is this pasta with mussels and beans, also called Neapolitan pasta are ready, drain, and set aside. packet. Save some of the pasta cooking water. and beans. Prepare mussels Finish the dish In Naples, this dish is often like a thick . However, some prefer a drier version like in Brush and wash the mussels well, place them in a Drain the pasta add it to the beans and tomatoes with this recipe. In the soup version, the pasta is usually cooked together with the beans in saucepan over high heat and steam them covered until they some of its cooking water and continue to cook until the broth. This is definitely more filling and heavier. So, probably better suited to the cooler have all opened. pasta is ready. Add more pasta cooking water if necessary. seasons! In this drier version, I cooked the pasta very separately and then finished it off with the tomatoes and black beans. Remove most of the mussels from the shells and put them When the pasta is cooked. Add in the mussels. Turn off the aside. I keep a few in the shells for decoration! Filter the heat and allow a couple of minutes for the mussels to heat remaining water to remove the sand and keep aside too. through. Serve sprinkled with more fresh , some INGREDIENTS Discard the rest of the shells. ground black pepper and a dash of extra virgin . Servings: 4 Some people like to add some extra red chili flakes to Make the sauce make the dish spicier. 400 g vesuvio pasta (14 oz) or fusilli, or Wash and cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Chop the 400 g black beans (14 oz) soaked and cooked or canned (200-250g dried beans) parsley and and red into small pieces Recipe Notes 800 g fresh mussels (28 oz) washed and cleaned (remove the from the pepper if you prefer less ) 300 g ripe tomatoes (10 oz) cut into cubes Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or skillet. Add the You can make this dish with borlotti or cannellini beans 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped 1 red chili pepper - finely chopped parsley, garlic and chili pepper. Cook until the garlic starts instead, or a mixture of beans. If using dried legumes 1 handful fresh parsley chopped to soften then add the chopped tomatoes. cooking times after they have been soaked may vary. 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Once the tomatoes have started to soften, add the drained Black beans cook faster because they are smaller. You salt for pasta beans. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the can use other kinds of short pasta such as fusilli, black pepper to taste filtered water and simmer on a low heat while you orecchiette or rigatoni.Cooking times don't including cook the pasta. preparing the dry legumes. Linguine with (alle vongole)

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 15 mins 25 mins 40 mins

Chop the peeled garlic and parsley finely. If using a whole fresh When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the pan with or dried red chili chop finely too. Remove the seeds to make it the cooked clams. Mix everything together well and serve milder. Be careful not to touch your eyes or mouth after doing immediately with another sprinkling of chopped parsley, if this and wash your hands well before continuing to cook. required. Linguine with clams is an iconic Neapolitan recipe that is loved around the world. It’s Wash the clams in cold water and remove any with broken also THE most popular seafood recipe here on The Pasta Project. This is my Sicilian hubby’s version. He’s pretty generous with the garlic and peperocino (red chili pepper) shells. Some kinds of clams need a lot of rinsing if they have Purging the clams but it’s just the way I like it! Of course, you can use less for a milder version. sand in them. But you can also filter the liquid after you have With vongole veraci it’s usually not necessary to do more precooked them, so don’t worry so much about the sand. than rinse the clams under running water. So we never Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When it starts to boil purge them. INGREDIENTS add the pasta. You probably don’t need salt as the clams will However, some people prefer to purge the clams of sand already be a little salty. before cooking them. This involves filling a large bowl with While the water is boiling for the pasta, put the clams in a deep cold water and stirring in enough salt to make it salty like Servings: 4 frying pan and cook covered over a medium to high heat until the sea. Adding the clams and letting them stand for 30 they have opened. (about 5 minutes) minutes. The clams will open and release any sand they Allow the clams to cool a little and then remove the meat from have inside. You then need to lift the clams from the water 320-400 g linguine or vermicelli or spaghetti (11-14oz) most of the shells keeping some intact. Discard the empty and discard the water. If there is sand in the bottom of the 800 g fresh clams (about 200g per person) (1.8lbs) shells and, if necessary, filter the liquid that the clams have bowl, rinse it out and repeat this process until the clams no 3-5 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped produced. Don’t discard it. longer release sand into the water (usually 2 to 3 purging 1 peperoncino (red chili pepper) or dried flakes amount depends on Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the cycles). Discard any clams that are gaping open and refuse your preference packet. to close when prodded. 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add the garlic and 1-2 handfuls fresh parsley finely choppedsalt to taste (we don’t add it peperoncino. Cook until the garlic starts to soften. Add the Recipe Notes to the pasta cooking water) clams (with shells and without) with their liquid to the pan and 1/2 glass dry white cook for a few minutes. Then, add the white wine and cook This recipe is traditionally served with spaghetti, vermicelli or further until the alcohol evaporates. Finally, add the parsley and linguine.Remember to throw out any clams that don’t open the rest of the olive oil. Continue cooking for another 3-5 during the first phase of cooking them. minutes and then turn off the heat. Seafood Linguine al Cartoccio

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 45 mins 45 mins 1 h 30 mins

Prepare the seafood filter the liquid that the clams and mussels have produced through a Clean the mussels well, scrub and rinse them under running water and muslin cloth or very fine filter. Don't discard it and keep the 2 separate. remove the ‘beards’. Discard any that are broken or open. Chop the peeled garlic, the peeled shallots and the parsley finely. Wash the clams in cold water and remove any that are open or with Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When it starts to boil add the broken shells. Some kinds of clams need a lot of rinsing if they have pasta. You probably don’t need salt as the seafood will already be a sand in them. But you can also filter the liquid after you have precooked little salty. them, so don’t worry so much about the sand. Heat the olive oil and the chopped garlic cloves and shallots in a large Clean and prepare the fresh . Pull the tentacles away from the deep pan, add the squid, scampi and and cook for 5 minutes, body. The tentacles, head and innards should separate easily from the then sprinkle with the wine/ cognac and let the alcohol evaporate. We body. used cognac and flambéed it! But that is optional! Linguine with seafood in foil is a fabulous dish to serve to guests! This popular Central- Remove the quill from inside the body and discard. Clean the body by Add the tomato pulp or peeled tomatoes and cook for about 10 Southern Italian recipe is made with a delicious fresh seafood sauce which is mixed with running it under a tap or cleaning it in a bowl of water.Remove the 'ears' minutes. Add the mussels and clams (shelled and with shells) and very al dente pasta and then finished off in foil or paper packages in the ! from either side of the squid body and remove the skin with your continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. To prevent the sauce from drying out Although this seafood pasta recipe is popular in a number of coastal regions, its invention is fingers. (optional we don’t do it with very small squid) too much, add some of the previously filtered cooking juices from the claimed by two Neapolitan restaurants, both of which are still famous for this dish today. Cut the tentacles just below the eyes, be careful not to cut the ink sac clams first and then the mussels. (The clam juice tends to be more which is located near the innards. Remove the 'beak' at the base of the flavourful) INGREDIENTS tentacles. Discard the head, innards and ink sac (although the latter can Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. be used for squid ink pasta!) Cook the pasta less than or half the time for al dente according to the Servings: 4 Cut the squid body into rings and the tentacles into small pieces if you instructions on the packet. Then drain it. want to use them. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce, mix well and place a 320 g linguine (12oz) or spaghetti Wash the prawns/. Remove the head, legs and main body single portion of pasta and seafood on a rectangular double sheet of 250 g fresh mussels (9oz) shells from some of them, leaving the tail. Also remove the vein along baking paper or aluminum foil about 50cm long. Close each packet well 250 g fresh clams (9oz) the peeled prawns’ backs. but keep some intact. They impart a better and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 200 g fresh shrimps or prawns (7oz) flavour and make the dish look more attractive. Serve your seafood linguine al cartoccio sprinkled with parsley in the 200 g small squid (7oz) Wash the scampi. We didn’t peel them but just cut along the scampi individual foil packets. Of course, you could put it into a plate but half 8 fresh scampi (2 per person) undersides to make opening them easier. the fun is eating it out of the ‘cartoccio’. Remember to provide napkins, finger bowls and a bowl to put the shells etc. 300 g tomato pulp (10 oz) or peeled sauce tomatoes Make the sauce 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped Put the clams in a deep frying pan and cook covered over a medium to Recipe Notes 2 shallots peeled and finely chopped high heat until they have opened. (about 5 minutes). Do the same for 1 handful fresh parsley finely chopped the mussels separately. This recipe can be made with linguine or spaghetti. Allow the shellfish to cool a little and then remove the meat from most 1/2 glass or white winesalt to taste You can use a variety of seafood, depending on what is available. Even of the shells keeping some intact. Discard the empty shells and then 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with just a shellfish and prawns this recipe is delicious! Pasta with Baby alla Luciana

Prep Time Cook Time Total Time 20 mins 45 mins 1 h 5 mins

Pasta with baby octopus alla Luciana is a traditional Neapolitan dish with very ancient Carefully wash the baby octopus under running water Meanwhile, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. origins. It is apparently inspired by fishermen from the historical seaside neighbourhood of and dry them. Peel the garlic. Wash and chop the Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Santa Lucia, Naples. These local fishermen, also called ‘luciani’, were well known for their parsley. Rinse the well if they are salted. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on octopus skills! They caught octopus using terracotta amphorae placed on the seabed and then cook fresh ‘purpetielli’ (baby octopus in the local ) in a very simple Put the extra virgin olive oil into a Dutch oven or deep the packet. When the pasta is ready save a cup of the way, with tomatoes, garlic, peperoncino and, sometimes, with capers and black olives too. skillet add the peeled garlic cloves. Soften the cloves cooking water and drain the pasta. Just like this recipe! over a medium heat. Then add the baby octopus and If your cooking pot isn’t big enough, transfer the baby INGREDIENTS cook them for 5 minutes. octopus and sauce to a warmed large bowl. Mix in some Turn them so they start to brown on each side.Turn up of the pasta cooking water if your sauce seems dry and Servings: 4 the heat. then add the drained pasta. Mix everything together Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol well. Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley. 400 g linguine or spaghetti (14oz) 2 tbsp black olives evaporates.Add the black olives, capers and small I used linguine from èViva pasta 1 tbsp capers tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes start to Recipe Notes 500 g baby octopus (17-18 oz) 5-8 1/2 glass white wine soften. octopus depending on size. I used 1 tsp peperoncino flakes (red chili Add the passata, salt and pepper to taste and If you use fresh octopus, get your fishmonger to clean musky octopus. pepper) optional peperoncino flakes (if using). Mix everything together them for you. Otherwise you will need to open the head 400 g tomato passata (14oz) 1 handful fresh parsley chopped well and cook over a low-medium heat covered for about sac and wash out the guts. Then remove the beak and 250 g datterini or cherry salt for pasta and to taste 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (until the octopus is eyes.Instead of small tomatoes and passata you can tomatoes (9oz) ground black pepper to taste soft). also use 400-600 g canned peeled tomatoes. 2 garlic cloves peeled 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Ziti with Genovese meat sauce

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 15 mins 20 mins 35 mins

Begin by peeling the onions and slicing them thinly. Wash If you are using long ziti or zitoni, break the pasta in half and cut the and into small pieces or 3 pieces before adding it to the water. Cook the pasta Remove any from the meat and cut it into about 5-7 al dente according to the instructions on the packet. pieces When the pasta is cooked, save a cup of the cooking Heat the olive oil in a deep pan. Fry the carrots, celery and water and drain. If your sauce seems dry, add some of onions together for a couple of minutes, stirring the pasta cooking water and stir. Add the pasta to the continuously. sauce and mix well or in the case of long pieces of pasta Pasta la Genovese, or alla Genovese, is an ancient Neapolitan recipe. In fact, this dish was apparently created in the 15th century and is one of the traditional dishes that Neapolitan Add the meat, parsley, bay leaves and a teaspoon of salt. it may be easier to cover it with sauce once you have families prepare for Sunday , important holidays and special occasions. This recipe is Mix together and cook for a couple of minutes until the plated it. basically onions (lots of onions!) and slow cooked together for 3 to 4 hours (yes 4 meat starts to brown. (some people prefer to brown the Serve immediately with chopped parsley and grated hours!!) to create a thick rich sauce, which is served with pasta, normally ziti or zitoni. meat first, I didn’t) Parmigiano . Cover the pot, lower the heat and cook for about 3 hours. INGREDIENTS You will need to check it and stir every now and again, but Recipe Notes the onions should create enough liquid for the meat to cook Servings: 4 in. If it seems dry add some beef stock or water. This recipe really needs to be cooked for a long time, After 3 hours, remove the bay leaves, add half the wine, although the process may be sped up by using a salt and pepper to taste, stir and let simmer on a low heat pressure cooker, I'm not sure that the results would be 320 g ziti or zitoni pasta (11oz) you can 2 bay leaves uncovered for one hour. You may need to add more wine as delicious. In Naples, they traditionally use use ziti or also use or rigatoni 1 handful fresh parsley as the sauce reduces. Continue to stir often. zitoni pasta that has been broken in half by hand before 1.5 kg coppery onions (3.3lbs) you can 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Once the meat is very soft you can remove it from the cooking. If you can’t find this pasta then short pasta such also use normal yellow onions salt for pasta and to taste sauce and save it to serve later, apart from a small quantity as rigatoni or penne work well too.This dish can be made 900 g beef (2lbs) chuck steak or black pepper to taste which should be shredded (cut into very small pieces) and a day or two in advance and kept in the fridge (in fact the brasing steak 1/2 glass dry white wine 2 stalks celery washed and cut into 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) grated returned to the sauce. Alternatively shred all the meat and sauce tastes even better). You can also serve the sauce small pieces for serving return it to the sauce. (this is what I did) with pasta and most the pieces of meat with potatoes. 2 carrots washed and cut into small Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it Two or courses with the work of one! pieces starts to boil. Bring to the boil again. pasta pie

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time Resting Time 15 mins 45 mins 60 mins 15 mins

Preparation Finish your pasta pie Drain and slice the mozzarella. Cut the cooked into Grease a tin or baking dish with . Form a thick cubes. Peel and finely chop the . Cut the into layer of the tagliolini mixture. Sprinkle it with more cubes if needed Parmesan. Then cover with a layer of mozzarella and some Pasta pies are especially popular in the south of Italy, where they are often eaten on feast days and holidays. There are 2 main types of pasta pies, ‘’ and ‘’. This is a Make the sauce breadcrumbs. Add the remaining pasta, another sprinkling crostata, meaning it’s made without being encased in , breadcrumbs or vegetables like Sauté the chopped onion with a knob of butter and a tbsp of of Parmesan, more mozzarella slices and finally cover with eggplants. There are different versions of tagliolini pasta pie. This is one of the simplest. olive oil until it starts to soften slightly. Add the pancetta. the remaining breadcrumbs and some butter flakes. However, it looks beautiful, tastes great and isn’t so time-consuming to make! Cook for another minute or 2 then add the frozen and Bake the pasta in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for 25 cook for about 10-15 minutes. Add a ladle of water to stop it minutes. When the tagliolini pasta pie is ready it should be INGREDIENTS drying out. Season with salt and pepper. nice and crispy on top. Let it stand for ten minutes and then Servings: 4 Cook the pasta serve. Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil N.B. If you want to turn the pasta pie out onto a serving 320 g tagliolini egg pasta I used 150 g cooked ham about 3 thick and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta very al dente dish you may need to let it sit for longer (about 20 minutes) . You can also use slices (3.5oz) according to the instructions on the packet (fresh tagliolini The pie will need to be turned twice to get the crispy part on (13oz) 100 g pancetta cubes or lardons only needs about 2 minutes!). Drain the pasta. Return it to top. First time it will be upside down. Place another serving 1 onion peeled and finely chopped (3.5 oz) the pan or put it in a bowl. dish on top and turn again. 300 g peas fresh or frozen (10 oz) 50 g breadcrumbs (2oz) Add one third of the Parmesan, the cooked ham and another 200 g mozzarella about 2 large balls 1 tbsp olive oil knob of butter and mix well to coat the pasta with butter and Recipe Notes (7oz) butter as required cheese 120 g Parmesan cheese grated salt for pasta and to taste Add the pasta and ham to the peas and pancetta and mix You can use tagliatelle instead of tagliolini. It's also (4.5oz) black pepper to taste well again traditional in for this recipe. Pasta

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 10 mins 20 mins 30 mins

In Italian, these pasta or arancini are also called crochette di tagliolini or ordura di tagliolini. These are a popular Neapolitan or . And, they date back to the 1800s. Made with stuffed egg pasta that is then breaded and fried, these balls of pastaliciousness are popular with kids and adults alike!

Caccavelle pasta alla Sorrentina is a flavourful and rich traditional baked pasta recipe from Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt when You need to slightly squeeze the pasta ball to get it all Campania, in particular . Some versions of alla Sorrentina don’t include meat but it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the to stick together. Make a hole in the middle of each ball this one does. Here, the pasta is giant 50g pasta shells said to be the biggest pasta in the tagliolini or spaghetti al dente according to the with your thumb. Place the cheese and ham in the world! The shells are filled with meat ragu and cheese and then baked in the oven in instructions on the packet. Fresh tagliolini only take 3 center and close the ball around the hole. individual terracotta pots. Perfect for Sunday lunch and holiday menus. minutes to cook. Roll the ball over the floured surface, dip in the beaten INGREDIENTS When the pasta is ready, drain it and season eggs and then coat in breadcrumbs. I did this last step immediately with the butter and Parmesan. Place it in a twice, even though the recipe I followed didn’t require it. Servings: 4 bowl and allow to cool. Beat 2 of the eggs and add them If possible, leave the balls in a cool place or in the fridge 250 g Tagliolini pasta or 50 g ham (2oz) diced to the cooled pasta. Add salt to taste and mix together for 20-30 minutes. Then fry them in heated olive or spaghetti (1/2 lb) leftover pasta or 4 eggs well. peanut oil until they are completely golden. You don’t cooked from scratch salt for pasta and to taste Cut the cheese and ham into small cubes. Beat the other need a deep fryer to do this. I did it in a normal frying 40 g butter (1.5oz) all purpose as required 2 eggs and add a little salt to them. pan, but you have to turn the pasta arancini to ensure 50 g Parmesan cheese (2oz) grated white breadcrumbs as required On a floured surface, divide the spaghetti or tagliolini into they are golden on each side. 50 g cheese or olive oil or peanut oil as required eight portions and form each portion into a ball. Drain the pasta arancini on kitchen paper and serve hot del monaco or mozzarella (2oz) either as a snack or with a salad. Caccavelle pasta alla Sorrentina

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 20 mins 1 hr 10 mins 1 hr 30 mins

Start preparing the minced meat ragu which is the main Finish the dish part of the caccavelle filling. Cut the mozzarella and into small pieces. Wash and finely chop the celery and . Peel the If your sauce is too dry, add some of the saved pasta onion and chop finely too. cooking water and mix.

Caccavelle pasta alla Sorrentina is a flavourful and rich traditional baked pasta recipe from Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan or skillet and Put a little sauce in each individual small oven dish. Campania, in particular Sorrento. In this version, the pasta is giant 50g pasta shells said to soften the chopped vegetables in the heated oil. Place a caccavella in each pan and fill the pasta shell be the biggest pasta in the world! Then add the minced meat and brown it. Use a wooden half way with some meat sauce. Add the diced spoon to separate and mix it. When the meat has mozzarella and a little ricotta. Cover with more sauce, INGREDIENTS browned add the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate then add more mozzarella, ricotta and again ragu. Finally and then add the tomato passata. Mix everything sprinkle with grated Parmigiano. Servings: 4 together well. Bake the caccavelle in a preheated oven at 180 degrees 4 caccavelle giant pasta shells Cirio rustica which is thicker Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve immediately. salt for pasta and to taste covered for at least 30 minutes. The longer you cook the For the ragu black pepper to taste ragu, the better it tastes. Recipe Notes 1 onion peeled and finely chopped 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 carrots washed and finely Cook the pasta If you don't have caccavelle you can make this recipe chopped Other filling ingredients In the meantime, put a large pot of water on to boil for with other large pasta shells such as conchiglioni or 2 celery stalks washed and finely 200 g mozzarella (7oz) drained and the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the lumaconi. The sauce needs to be quite liquidy as the chopped cut into small pieces boil again. Cook the caccavelle until they are al dente. pasta will absorb it and you don't want it to dry out.. 300 g minced (10oz) you can 200 g fresh ricotta (7oz) Usually about 10-12 minutes. also use beef or pork 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2oz) Save a cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta. 1 Lt tomato passata (33floz) I use grated Make sure there’s no water inside the pasta shells. Vermicelli di

PrepPrep Time Time Cook Time Tot Time Marinating Time 1010 mins mins 15 mins 25 mins 60 mins

There are a number of recipes for pasta di Positano or alla Positano and they’re not always the same! This particular version is perfect for summer. Not only is this recipe light, but it’s also a super easy no-cook recipe, meaning you only have to cook the pasta. The rest of the ingredients, mostly tomatoes and , are marinated in extra virgin olive oil for an hour or two. Once you have cooked your pasta you just have to mix it with the marinated veggies and serve! This Neapolitan pasta recipe is my hubby’s favourite summer dish. If you try it I’m sure you’ll love it just as much as he does! Chop the onion, celery, , parsley and one garlic As soon as the pasta is cooked, strain it and add it to the clove very finely (I put them in a hand-held food bowl with the tomato mixture and a little more olive oil if it INGREDIENTS processor) Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters. seems dry. Mix everything together well. Rub the other garlic clove onto the sides of a large bowl Serve immediately sprinkled with a little more chopped Servings: 4 that can also accommodate the pasta when it’s cooked. parsley. Put the tomatoes, chopped vegetables, and 400 g vermicelli Italian pasta 2 celery stalks finely chopped olive oil into the bowl, saving a little parsley for serving. Recipe Notes (14oz) 1 cup fresh parsley finely chopped Add salt and pepper to taste and mix everything together 600 g mature small tomatoes I 1/2 cup basil leaves finely chopped well. You can also make this recipe with other types of long used cherry tomatoes (1lb 5 0z) 1 teaspoon dried oregano Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for an hour or pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, tagliolini etcThe 1/2 onion peeled and finely 4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 (not in the fridge) cooking times do not include the time needed to marinate chopped salt for pasta and to taste Cooked the vermicelli al dente in boiling salted water the tomatoes or boil the water for the pasta. 2 garlic cloves peeled. 1 finely black pepper to taste according to the instructions on the packet. (normally 13 chopped minutes) Pasta with mushrooms and cream

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 10 mins 20 mins 30 mins

Known as ‘miezi paccheri alla capa ’e’ mbrello in the local dialect, this Neapolitan pasta recipe for mezzi paccheri with mushrooms and cream is super simple to make and Clean the mushrooms and cut them into small slices or outstandingly delicious! This dish is a bit like a with cream, with mushrooms Serve immediately with a sprinkling of parsley (optional) and instead of . The combination of the eggs, cream and grated Parmigiano combined quarters. If using dried mushrooms, soak in warm water for some more grated parmigiano. with the mushrooms cooked in butter create a fabulous sauce that really needs no other 20-30 mins then drain and cut into small pieces. or flavours. Melt the butter in a deep frying pan or skillet on a very low Recipe Notes flame, so that it does not burn. Add the cut mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes or so. If you don't have mezzi paccheri you can use other pasta tubes INGREDIENTS While the mushrooms are cooking, put one egg and one egg such as rigatoni, penne or .However, if you live in US yolk into a bowl, with the Parmigiano and the cream beat and want to buy the same pasta I used (Tuffoli from Mancini), I Servings: 4 together gently until you have a smooth mixture. recently discovered an online Italian food store which sells this Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. when it starts to and some other great pasta called SupermarketItaly. I had 400 g mezzi paccheri (14oz) or 50 g butter (2 oz) boil add salt and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al some leftovers from this dish to which I added some fried dente according to the instructions on the packet. tuffoli from Pasta Mancini 2 eggs pancetta and béchamel (white sauce) and baked the following Just before the pasta is ready, add the mixture of eggs, 300 g mushrooms (10oz) or 100 g 1/4 lt fresh cream (8.5 floz) day with some more grated cheese on top! It was delicious. cheese and cream to the mushrooms cooked in butter and Keep leftovers in the fridge covered with cling film, otherwise dried mushrooms salt for pasta and to taste mix ( but don’t cook it further). Add salt and pepper to taste. the pasta will dry out. 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano (2 oz) black pepper to taste When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce. grated ( or vegetarian hard fresh parsley as required Immediately, mix the sauce and the pasta together well over cheese as Parmigiano contains (optional) a low heat. You want the sauce to heat through and coat the animal rennet) pasta without the eggs becoming scrambled. Spaghetti al limone with ricotta, basil and

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 10 mins 20 mins 30 mins

Spaghetti al limone has a wonderful fresh summer taste, with an intense lemony flavour. Close your eyes and you can even imagine you are eating it sitting on a terrace overlooking the sea on the coast or ! This is a no cook recipe. In other words the sauce isn’t cooked, only the pasta. So, it’s perfect as a summer dish. Or, when you just want a quick In a blender or food processor, blend the ricotta cheese Add half of the grated Parmigiano cheese and mix it in light . You can even make the sauce a day in advance and keep it sealed in the fridge with the grated rind from the lemon (I used all the rind well. until you are ready to make this divine pasta recipe from Naples. from one lemon), most of the basil leaves, a pinch of salt Serve immediately with a sprinkling of ground black and a pinch of black pepper. pepper, more grated Parmigiano and the remaining basil. INGREDIENTS If the sauce seems a bit thick, add a dash of . It needs to have the consistency of a dip. Recipe Notes Servings: 4 Cook the pasta al dente, in boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet, reserve a Variation: this recipe can also be made with mint instead 400 g spaghetti (14oz) or tagliolini 1 Organic lemon medium sized from cup of the cooking water. of basil. or linguine Sorrento or Amalfi if possible Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. 400 g fresh Italian ricotta (14oz) 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano (3.5oz) Add the ricotta cream and half the saved cooking water basil leaves handful grated to the pasta and mix well until you have a creamy sauce. Salt and black pepper as required If needs be, add some more of the pasta cooking water. Rigatoni pasta alla parmigiana

Prep Time Cook Time Tot Time 30 mins 45 mins 1 hr 15 mins

Prepare the eggplant Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on Cut the eggplant into thick slices and cover with sea salt the packet. When the pasta is ready, save a cup of the in a colander. Leave them for about 30 minutes. Rinse cooking water and drain. off the salt and pat dry with kitchen paper Fry the eggplant slices in hot olive oil until they are quite Finish the dish golden on each side. Set aside on kitchen paper to If the seems too thick add some of the allow most of the oil to get absorbed by the paper. Then saved pasta water and stir. Add the eggplant pieces to Eggplant parmigiana is practically a symbol of Southern , particularly Naples cut most of the slices into cubes/pieces, leaving one or the tomato sauce. Mix together well and then add the and . This rich and tasty vegetarian rigatoni pasta alla parmigiana recipe is made with the same ingredients as eggplant parmigiana and tastes just as wonderful! It can be baked two slices per person intact. Keep these warm drained pasta. Mix again and add the mozzarella or eaten without baking. A pasta recipe from Naples that’s full of Mediterranean flavour! pieces. Cook for a bit over a low heat until the Prepare the tomato sauce and mozzarella mozzarella starts to melt slightly. INGREDIENTS Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves (if using). Drain and Put one or two whole eggplant slices onto a plate. Place cut the mozzarella into small cubes/pieces. Peel the a serving of the pasta on top of the eggplant garlic cloves. slices. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of chopped Servings 4 Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan or skillet. basil and grated Parmesan. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to soften. Add the 400 g rigatoni pasta (14oz) or 600 ml tomato passata (20 floz) or cherry tomatoes cook them for a minutes then add the Recipe Notes other short pasta 12 cherry tomatoes and 400 ml passata and chopped basil. Stir well and leave to 200 g fresh mozzarella (7oz) fior di passata simmer for about 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally. This recipe can be made with other short pasta tubes 1 handful fresh basil chopped Season with salt and pepper. Then remove the garlic such as penne or tortiglioni. You can finish this dish off 500 g eggplant (I used 2 large 2 garlic gloves peeled in the oven. Put the pasta mixed with the tomato sauce, round ones) (17oz) 50 g Parmesan grated Cook the pasta eggplant pieces and mozzarella pieces in a greased salt for pasta and to taste In the meantime, put a pot of water on to boil for the oven dish. Cover the top with more mozzarella slices (if black pepper to taste pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil. Bring to the boil you want) and grated Parmesan. Bake in a preheated again and add the pasta. oven at 180° until the top is browned and crispy. Jacqueline De Bono and The Pasta Project

Hello my name is Jacqueline, Jacqui for short! I’m originally a Londoner but, in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful region of Italy where I fell in love with the country, the people, the food and my Sicilian husband Salvatore! The Pasta Project is my English language food blog about Italian pasta. Here, in Italy, there are 360+ different pasta shapes/types, many are particular to certain regions and are an important part of the . My blog is a journey through the delicious world of Italian pasta. It includes traditional and contemporary recipes as well as articles and info on the and origin of the recipes and pasta types featured, some of which date back to ancient . My goal is to make my blog a popular resource for home cooks looking for authentic Italian pasta recipes and inspiration to change the way they cook pasta at home. Now that good quality Italian pasta, as well as other , are so widely available outside of Italy, both in stores and online, it’s easy to change your pasta life!

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This e-book is the fourth of a series of e-books for my subscribers. Each e-book giveaway will feature pasta recipes from one of Italy’s 20 regions. So, eventually, you’ll have 20 regional pasta recipe e-books with some of the best recipes on The Pasta Project! Personally, although I love food blogs and recipe sites, when I cook I prefer to have a printed version of a recipe or a to follow. If you are like me, you’ll love this e-book collection!

If you have any questions about these recipes, please don’t hesitate to contact me through the website or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.

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All the best from Verona,

Jacqueline