If you love potatoes, this pasta with potatoes (pasta e patate) might become your new favourite comfort dish. It is a true one pot pasta from Naples, the original kind, where the pasta cooks right in the sauce and everything comes together beautifully with minimal effort.At first you might think it’s too many carbs but this hearty combination works incredibly well. The potatoes soften and coat the pasta, the pasta releases its starch, and together they create a silky, creamy sauce without a single drop of cream – but of course the addition of cheese.The base recipe is vegetarian, perfect for a cosy weeknight dinner. In Naples they sometimes add pancetta for extra flavour, which you could substitute with speck or salami if you’re after some extra bite.Like many of the best Italian dishes, this one was created to use up what was already at home. If you have a few handfuls of different leftover pasta left in the pantry, this recipe is one people often use to combine shapes – it might seem like a no-no, but it actually works really well. This beautiful example of cucina povera uses simple, affordable staples to create a filling and flavourful meal. After a long day, this pasta with potatoes is the kind of reward you will enjoy devouring, and if you want a single comfort dish for Christmas, this would be my pick!
Notes
Pick Your Potato
You can use any potato you like. If you prefer to keep the skin on for extra texture, that will work too, just clean the skin really well. If you want to add more potato, go for it. The more you use, the creamier the sauce becomes. When cutting them, keep the pieces similar in size to the pasta. Large chunks will take longer to cook and will not blend into the sauce as nicely. Stock Up on Stock
Prepare one litre of vegetable stock. It is unlikely you will use all of it, but it is good to have extra on hand. Different pasta shapes absorb different amounts of liquid, so having a little more nearby saves you from drying out your dish. Potatoes Love Rosemary
Rosemary and potatoes belong together so adding this herb is a key step to really nailing the flavour and you will be able to tell by the aroma, it makes a big difference. It lifts the entire dish and gives that unmistakable Neapolitan flavour. Do Not Skip The Soffritto
Blending the soffritto gives you a silkier sauce. Do not skip the celery either as it adds beautiful flavour in a very gentle way. The only reason to leave it out is an allergy or if you truly dislike it. Permission Granted, Break the Pasta
Use any leftover short pasta you have. If you want to add longer shapes like tagliatelle, fettuccine or pappardelle, break them into short pieces. This helps them match the size of the fusilli and ditalini we are using. Good quality pasta grows as it cooks, so keeping everything similar in size helps the dish cook evenly and feel good on the fork. Match Your Cooking Times
Try to use pasta shapes with similar cooking times. A small difference of one or two minutes is fine. If the difference is too big, you are better off choosing shapes that cook well together so you get the perfect texture in every bite. Say Yes to Cheese
Use as much provolone as you like. You can substitute with fresh mozzarella, dry mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella but nothing really compares…! Use a Deep Pot
Everything cooks in one pot, so make sure it is deep enough to hold the pasta, potatoes and stock comfortably. A cramped pot will not give you the silky result we want. Pasta with potatoes cooking in a pan, stirred until creamy and golden
Stick to Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock gives the cleanest flavour. Chicken or beef stock is too strong and will overpower the delicate potato base. Mash to Your Taste
How you mash the potatoes is completely up to you. For a super creamy sauce, mash them fully. If you want more texture you could leave a few pieces whole as this will make every spoonful interesting and full of texture.
You can use any potato you like. If you prefer to keep the skin on for extra texture, that will work too, just clean the skin really well. If you want to add more potato, go for it. The more you use, the creamier the sauce becomes. When cutting them, keep the pieces similar in size to the pasta. Large chunks will take longer to cook and will not blend into the sauce as nicely. Stock Up on Stock
Prepare one litre of vegetable stock. It is unlikely you will use all of it, but it is good to have extra on hand. Different pasta shapes absorb different amounts of liquid, so having a little more nearby saves you from drying out your dish. Potatoes Love Rosemary
Rosemary and potatoes belong together so adding this herb is a key step to really nailing the flavour and you will be able to tell by the aroma, it makes a big difference. It lifts the entire dish and gives that unmistakable Neapolitan flavour. Do Not Skip The Soffritto
Blending the soffritto gives you a silkier sauce. Do not skip the celery either as it adds beautiful flavour in a very gentle way. The only reason to leave it out is an allergy or if you truly dislike it. Permission Granted, Break the Pasta
Use any leftover short pasta you have. If you want to add longer shapes like tagliatelle, fettuccine or pappardelle, break them into short pieces. This helps them match the size of the fusilli and ditalini we are using. Good quality pasta grows as it cooks, so keeping everything similar in size helps the dish cook evenly and feel good on the fork. Match Your Cooking Times
Try to use pasta shapes with similar cooking times. A small difference of one or two minutes is fine. If the difference is too big, you are better off choosing shapes that cook well together so you get the perfect texture in every bite. Say Yes to Cheese
Use as much provolone as you like. You can substitute with fresh mozzarella, dry mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella but nothing really compares…! Use a Deep Pot
Everything cooks in one pot, so make sure it is deep enough to hold the pasta, potatoes and stock comfortably. A cramped pot will not give you the silky result we want. Pasta with potatoes cooking in a pan, stirred until creamy and golden
Stick to Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock gives the cleanest flavour. Chicken or beef stock is too strong and will overpower the delicate potato base. Mash to Your Taste
How you mash the potatoes is completely up to you. For a super creamy sauce, mash them fully. If you want more texture you could leave a few pieces whole as this will make every spoonful interesting and full of texture.
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes - about 12 ounces, 300 g total
- 12 ounces short pasta - leftover partial boxes, I used 6 ounces ditalini and 6 ounces fusilli, 300 grams
- 1 carrot
- 1 stick celery
- ¼ onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 cups vegetable stock - 1 litre
- Provolone cheese - as much as you like
- Pecorino Romano cheese - Grated as much as you like
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2-3 Fresh Rosemary leaves - stalks removed
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces roughly the same size as the pasta.
- Slice each potato in half, cut it into three long strips, then slice horizontally to create small cubes.
- Keep the skin on the carrot and cut it along with the celery.
- Then chop the onion and garlic, setting everything aside. These will be blended later to make our creamy base.
- Break the fusilli in half (if using) so it matches the size of the ditalini, this will help everything cook evenly.
- Cut the provolone in half, then into cubes, using as much or as little as you like. You can save half for another pasta or throw it all in for a super creamy texture.
- Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic to a blender along with 3 tablespoons of EVOO and a small splash of water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Place a deep pot over medium low heat and add 4-6 tablespoons of EVOO.
- Add the rosemary leaves to the pot and toast them for one to two minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the blended soffritto.
- Add a splash of water, raise the heat to medium and mix well.
- Add the diced potatoes and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. If the mixture starts to dry out, add another splash of water, keeping an eye on it to prevent sticking.
- Pour in enough vegetable stock to fully cover the potatoes, then mix, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, check a piece of potato. If it still feels undercooked, continue cooking, stirring the bottom of the pot gently to prevent sticking and mash a few potatoes lightly to help thicken the sauce.
- Add the pasta to the pot and pour in the remaining vegetable stock (making sure the stock is hot) until all the pasta is covered. If you run out of stock, add boiling water and avoid adding cold liquid because it will stop the cooking process.
- For the next 10 minutes, keep stirring and watching the pot. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- At this point you can gently mash a few more potatoes if you prefer a creamier texture or leave them whole if you enjoy little bites mixed in.
- If the pasta looks too dry, add a splash of boiling or hot water and if it looks too runny, keep cooking until it thickens.
- Switch off the stove and count to 10, then add the pecorino, provolone and a little extra rosemary.
- Stir and toss until everything melts into the most delicious creamy sauce.