The Vittorio-style creamed paccheri are a small tribute — my modest recognition — to the fame and skill that earned the Cerea family’s restaurant Da Vittorio three Michelin stars.
This delicious and very simple recipe for a first course with paccheri was published in a Gusto supplement of La Repubblica and I wanted to prepare it right away for my food blog.
When I think of this family of restaurateurs the smiling, calm face of “Chicco” Enrico Cerea immediately comes to mind — I’ve seen him often on many TV shows and reports about Italian culinary excellence.
Chef Chicco Cerea speaks very gently, yet you can sense the strength and determination that have brought them all to world-class achievements in the restaurant business.
Today the Da Vittorio restaurant is run by Mrs. Bruna Cerea and their five children: Enrico and Roberto as chefs, Francesco in charge of the wine cellar and external catering, Rossella handling hospitality in the Restaurant and the Residence, while Barbara runs the café-pastry shop in Upper Bergamo, Cavour 1880.
For the Vittorio-style creamed paccheri with grated Parmigiano you need — and it is essential, since there are very few ingredients — to use high quality products (as it should always be). If you want to prepare them, buy a good tomato passata, Parmigiano Reggiano and excellent extra virgin olive oil, and you will feel the aroma and flavor of our Mediterranean products envelop you completely…
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 14 oz paccheri (large tubular pasta)
- 2 1/4 cups tomato sauce
- 5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (or Grana Padano if you prefer)
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 1/2 tbsp coarse salt
- to taste chili pepper (optional)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
#adv
- High-sided pans
- Electric graters
- Colander
- Frying pans
Steps
1) Simplicity at the table for this first course with sauce and paccheri (or schiaffoni)..
2) In a pan or wok put the tomato sauce, bring to a boil and let the passata simmer on low heat for a few minutes.
3) Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano and keep it ready on a plate.
4) In a high-sided pot put 4 liters of water with the coarse salt and, when it boils, add the paccheri, cooking them for the time indicated on the package — about 16/18 minutes.
5) Quickly wash the basil and gently pat it dry with kitchen paper.
6) When the paccheri are cooked, drain them and add them to the tomato sauce, stirring carefully.
7) With the heat off add the grated Parmigiano, the basil leaves and cream the paccheri al dente, also adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and adjusting salt to taste.
8) If you like, also add chili pepper to taste…
Simple, tasty and embracing — a fantastic first course: these Vittorio-style creamed paccheri!
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
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Annalisa says…
Personally I didn’t add chili pepper but surely… it would have been divine in the Vittorio-style creamed paccheri with Grana Padano!
I always taste the passata or tomato sauce and if I find it a bit acidic I correct it as my mother Maria taught me… I don’t know if these are chef methods or home-cook tricks or should be completely dismissed, but I continue the family tradition, adding a splash of milk and a pinch of sugar if needed!
Obviously we can make the tomato sauce ourselves using fresh tomatoes — perhaps a mix of varieties like San Marzano, Datterini and Cuore di Bue… I, sorry, played it safe by taking inspiration and nonetheless prepared a simple and VERY VERY GOOD first course with tomato!
