The lardiati ziti is an ancient recipe typical of Neapolitan peasant cuisine, born from the need of farmers to minimize waste from pig slaughtering.
In fact, the main ingredient of this dish is lard, which is the subcutaneous fatty part of the pig that, once recovered, is salted, flavored, and then aged, giving the final dish a truly unique aroma and flavor.
In the various typical restaurants of the Neapolitan city, you will surely find them on the menu among ziti alla genovese and pasta and potatoes with provola, but making them at home is really simple, and in addition to good lard (perhaps from Colonnata), you will need some San Marzano tomatoes (fresh or preserved), a clove of garlic (or onion), some ziti, and grated cheese of your choice between Parmesan or Pecorino.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 11.3 oz ziti
- 1.76 lbs peeled tomatoes (San Marzano)
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste chili pepper
- A few leaves basil
- to taste pecorino (grated)
- 5.3 oz lard
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Garlic Press
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Slotted Spoon
Steps
Preparing lardiati ziti, once you have chosen the right and quality products, is very simple and quick.
First, “attach” or beat the lard with a knife until it is reduced to a cream.
Once soft and creamy, put the lard mixture in the skillet without adding other fats such as oil or butter. Squeeze a clove of garlic into the skillet and add chili pepper to taste.
Let the lard melt over low heat, then add the hand-crushed peeled tomatoes to the skillet and salt (adjust based on the saltiness of the lard).
Let the sauce cook for about 30 minutes so that it thickens and concentrates all the flavors. In the meantime, cook the ziti (short or long to break by hand) al dente and, using a slotted spoon, transfer them directly to the skillet with the sauce and toss them for a minute over high heat.
With the heat off, then add the grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.
