Hailing from Naples, one of the most popular and well-known regions of Italy, this simple dish relies on a few good-quality ingredients and a fast preparation to come together for a surprisingly light and satisfying dish. The ricotta and Parmesan cheese melt together to create a deliciously creamy but textured sauce. Our Reginetti pasta is a shorter version of Mafaldine, which originated in Naples, and is used in a variety of different recipes throughout the region.
MAKES THREE - FOUR SERVINGS
3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
Combine the ricotta and Parmesan cheese in a bowl, stirring until thoroughly blended together. Set aside, but do not refrigerate.
Heat the pancetta in a large skillet over medium low heat, cooking slowly in order to render the fat. After around 10 minutes, remove the pancetta and add the shallot, stirring regularly while it cooks for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, removing the skillet from the burner in order to avoid charring the shallot.
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining.
Meanwhile, add the ricotta/parmesan mixture to the skillet with the shallot and stir to combine. Once the pasta is ready, transfer it to the skillet along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water and gently stir and fold to combine. If the sauce is too loose, turn the heat to low and cook, continuing to stir, until the texture thickens and the cheese has melted. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining reserved pasta water as needed. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Serve immediately, topped with parsley, pancetta, and extra Parmesan.
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Chef's Note: It is recommended to use a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt very well and the texture of the sauce will be gritty. This dish is traditionally made with lardo, a cured Italian delicacy often consumed raw as charcuterie. Lardo is very difficult to source in the States, so we’ve substituted it with pancetta in this recipe. If you’re able to procure lardo, melt it gently in the skillet over low heat and proceed with the recipe. The main difference is there won’t be any meat with which to top the dish.
Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Sfoglini Trumpets, Vesuvio or Saffron Malloreddus.
