The Pasta and Potatoes as Eaten in Rome is a very simple recipe that can be made even by those less experienced in the kitchen. The ingredients are really minimal, but the result is truly excellent. Definitely a first course of Roman tradition, which has always been in my family: my mom prepares it not only during the colder periods of the year but also in the warmer ones served cold. Therefore, it is a very versatile and simply delicious soup. The pasta used is spaghetti, but I know that in other families short pasta was also used. The important thing, in the end, regardless of the type of pasta, is to leave it brothy enough, and never too dry.
If you like soups or stews, don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lbs potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 1 large celery stalk
- 7 oz spaghetti
- 3 1/2 oz guanciale
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps tomato pulp
- to taste salt
- to taste grated Pecorino Romano
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
How to Prepare Pasta and Potatoes as Eaten in Rome
Chop the onion, celery, and guanciale into pieces only after removing the rind with a sharp knife.
Peel the potatoes, cut them into rather small cubes so they can cook well, almost disintegrating.
Place them in a saucepan along with the onion, celery, and guanciale. Add the extra virgin olive oil and sauté well, and finally add the tomato pulp.
At this point, pour in 1 and a half liters of water, salt, stir well, and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat, cover with the lid, and let it cook for about 45 minutes.
After this period, if the potatoes are well cooked, raise the heat again, check that the water has not evaporated too much, otherwise add more, and as soon as it starts to boil, break the spaghetti with your hands into pieces about 1 inch long and toss them in.
Finish cooking, thinking of your taste: you decide whether to turn off the heat when the pasta is still al dente, or cook it according to the package instructions, or even go beyond that.
Serve your Pasta and Potatoes as Eaten in Rome immediately, piping hot, putting it directly onto plates, and sprinkling with grated Pecorino Romano as desired.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
Pasta and potatoes keep very well in the refrigerator for at least one day, but obviously the pasta swells as it absorbs a lot of liquid and loses consistency.
The taste will always be delicious, but the texture will be completely different.
I do not recommend freezing it for the same reason, I can only tell you that you can prepare the soup the day before and add the pasta only when you’re ready to eat it.
