Among the alleys of the Spanish neighborhoods, where the smell of pizza mixes with the scent of the sea and the lively chatter of the people, O Paravisiello welcomes its guests with a warm welcome and a menu that is a real journey into culinary tradition Neapolitan. Among the many specialties that you can enjoy, a place of honor goes to ours pasta and potatoes, a simple but tasty dish, which embodies the authentic flavors of our city.
Pasta and potatoes is an ancient dish, born as a poor meal to feed large families. Over time, however, it has become a symbol of Neapolitan cuisine, a dish that cannot be missing from our tables, especially during the winter season.
The pasta and potatoes recipe is simple, but requires some precautions to obtain a perfect result. The secret lies in the choice of ingredients: good quality potatoes, short pasta and a good vegetable broth. At O Paravisiello, however, we decided to give an extra touch to our pasta and potatoes, enriching it with try it, a typical Campania cheese that gives the dish an even creamier and tastier taste.
Pasta and potatoes: between art and cinema
Pasta and potatoes is not only a typical dish of the Neapolitan culinary tradition, but it is also an element that has inspired artists and directors over time.
In artistic field, pasta and potatoes have been immortalized in several pictorial works. Among the most famous we find "The Potato Eater" by Vincent van Gogh, in which a Dutch peasant woman is depicted consuming a simple meal of potatoes and bread. Giuseppe Arcimboldo, in his work "Vegetables and Fruit", also depicted a portrait of Rudolph II of Habsburg using vegetables, including potatoes.
In the cinema, pasta and potatoes are often present as a symbol of family life and conviviality. An example is the film "Mine Vaganti" by Ferzan Özpetek, in which the pasta and potatoes prepared by the mother represents a moment of union and affection for the Picone family. Also in “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” by Giuseppe Tornatore, pasta and potatoes are the protagonist of a scene in which the protagonist Alfredo remembers his happy childhood with the cinema projectionist.
These are just a few examples of how pasta and potatoes have been able to conquer not only the palate of Italians, but also the imagination of artists and directors, becoming a symbol of Italian culture and tradition.
The chef's recipe: pasta and potatoes with provola
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 350 g of short pasta (ditalini, penne or rigatoni are ideal)
- 800 g of potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 clove of garlic
- 500 ml of vegetable broth
- 200 g of smoked provola
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 5 basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.
- Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery.
- In a large pot, fry the garlic in a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and brown for a few minutes.
- Add the potatoes and rosemary and mix well.
- Cover with the vegetable broth and bring to the boil.
- Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the pasta and cook it for the time indicated on the package.
- At the end of cooking, turn off the heat and add the diced provola, the chopped basil, a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir gently until the provola has melted and wrapped the pasta.
- Serve the pasta and potatoes immediately with hot provola cheese, garnished with a few fresh basil leaves.
Chef's advice:
- For a more intense flavour, you can use meat broth instead of vegetable broth.
- If you like spicy, you can add a chilli to the sauce.
- You can enrich your pasta and potatoes with other ingredients, such as bacon, sausage or scamorza.
- Pasta and potatoes is a dish that can be customized according to your tastes. Don't be afraid to experiment!
O Paravisiello awaits you to let you taste our pasta and potatoes with provola, a genuine and tasty dish that will win you over with its simplicity.