Pasta with potatoes and smoked mozzarella, a recipe from chef Valeri di Filodolio
We need some comfort food for lunch or dinner. Chef Giacomo Valeri of Filodolio, a restaurant in Rome, comes to our aid and reveals the secrets of his pasta with potatoes and smoked mozzarella (in a vegetarian version, without lard or pancetta).
Ingredients for 4 people:
Mixed Gentile di Gragnano pasta 320g 1 medium onion 1 celery stalk 1 carrot 1 medium-large potato 1 garlic clove Rosemary Thyme Basil Cherry tomatoes in juice about 100g (alternatively 1 fresh tomato, passata or 1 tablespoon of tomato paste) Boiling water or vegetable broth Smoked buffalo mozzarella Caseificio Costanzo di Aversa about 200g Parmesan cheese to taste Salt to taste Pepper to taste Extra virgin olive oil
The preparation
Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the garlic clove with the rosemary and thyme. Once the garlic is golden, remove it and the herbs. Add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and sauté over low heat for about 5 minutes. Season the soffritto with salt and pepper. While the soffritto is cooking, peel and dice the potato and add it to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then add the tomato and simmer for another 5 minutes. After this time, cover the pan with boiling water (preferably vegetable broth) and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. At this point, the pasta should be cooked directly in the pan, adding more liquid if necessary to prevent the base from burning. Once the pasta is cooked and the mixture is dry and creamy, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, diced smoked mozzarella, and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper and serve piping hot. The dish should not be too soupy or too dry. Drizzle with a drizzle of Rotondella extra virgin olive oil from the Madonne dell'Olivo di Serre (SA) mill.
Filodolio, Via Tripolitania, 147 Rome. Tel. 06.86212938.
