I won her over with a small gift...

Want to impress with simplicity? With a dish that will leave you speechless?
We recommend a beautiful Pacchetella di Pomodorini del Piennolo del Vesuvio DOP sautéed with Spaghetti di Pasta di Gragnano.
You might say… but it’s something already seen… no!
It’s actually a very unique and rare recipe that is found only in certain areas of Campania, particularly in the villages and neighborhoods hanging to Vesuvius.

Piennolo Tomato

Not just any cherry tomato but the KING of tomatoes. The Piennolo has a little beard at the bottom that distinguishes it from imitations, and when you open it, it has only two lenticular bands. It’s pulp and only pulp. Very few seeds, very little water. Its skin is very thick, allowing it to be partially dried. This way, they lose any remaining water and concentrate all the goodness that’s in them.

It’s called Pacchetella because, in the past, Neapolitan kids, when returning from school, had the task of helping the family by taking the cherry tomatoes and crushing them into a jar with a narrow neck, using a little push to help them fit in. Then water and a bit of salt were added. And that’s it!
The cherry tomatoes thus become slightly flattened and cracked, ready to be placed in the pan. There's no need to cook them too much, actually!

Pasta with Pacchetella: the advice

Remember… when there are two minutes left until the pasta is cooked - strictly Gragnano pasta - put them in the pan and start sautéing them with some onion. They will start to release a dense sweet cream that will penetrate the porous pasta and make it extraordinarily flavorful. During the sautéing of the pasta with Pacchetella, add a bit of Southern Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then serve the dish with a fresh and fragrant basil leaf. You will fill your kitchen with Mediterranean aromas and conquer with simplicity but also with great knowledge.

Ah... no one can resist a clean plate! Happy conquering!

S&M