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Paccheri alla Vittorio is a rich tomato-based sauce sauce served with a particular type of noodle, paccheri noodles. Paccheri noodles are tubes about 1-inch in length and smooth, ideal for soaking up a rich and luxurious sauce like the one we’re making here. This sauce calls for three different types of tomatoes: Roma, cherry, and San Marzano tomatoes, and each one gets special treatment to transform into a dreamy, tomato-y creamy sauce.
Every ingredient here is about freshness and flavor. First, the cherry tomatoes go into the oven for a bit of roasting, with olive oil, salt, and pepper to guide the way. They will be added later to the remaining two tomatoes. Romas are slowly sautéed with some sugar to help break down the acidity of the tomatoes, and red pepper flakes add a nice bit of heat. San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes known for having less moisture and a bit richer flavor; they’re an ideal tomato for canning and are an excellent addition to this sauce.
All three tomatoes are blitzed to create a thick and creamy sauce, one that is ideal for the paccheri pasta. It will cling to that blank slate of a canvas noodles and absorb all of that amazing sauciness. But we’re hardly done yet! Fresh parmesan cheese and basil are a must-have to finish the dish. I like to make sure to taste the sauce for seasoning but a little extra salt and pepper to serve never really hurt anybody.
I absolutely love the elegant simplicity of this sauce! It’s fresh and flavorful, bright in color and so easy to make. This will become a go-to favorite, for sure. Paccheri alla Vittorio is a part of An Evening in Milan at Table for 12. It’s served alongside a Kale Caesar Salad, Crispy Chicken Milanese, and Fresh Pistachio-Filled Cannoli.
Paccheri alla Vittorio
Yield(s): Serves 6
15m prep time
30m cook time
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For sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 roma tomatoes, diced
- 28 oz. San marzano tomatoes, crushed
For finishing:
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 lb. paccheri pasta, cooked
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat an oven to 400°F convection.
- Toss the cherry tomatoes with two tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and roast for 8 - 12 minutes.
- Place a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add diced Roma tomatoes and sugar to the pan. Cook until tomatoes start to soften, then add the crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the roasted cherry tomatoes to the sauce. Remove from heat.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce into a fine puree, then strain the tomato sauce in a fine mesh strainer.
- Pour the sieved sauce into a rondeau and add cooked paccheri pasta. Turn the heat to low and toss pasta with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning. Plate and enjoy!
This recipe is from An Evening In Milan at Table for 12.