This humble, earthy and pleasant dish is one among a household of pastas cooked with one other starch – akin to pasta with beans, pasta with lentils or pasta with chickpeas. It’s historically ready first with a sofrito, through which the potato is cooked with maybe a little bit tomato to a type of stew, through which the pasta is lastly braised. That’s pretty, however I make an excellent easier, extra delicate model – of pasta boiled with diced potatoes. The result’s beguiling.
Serves 4
yellow or white fleshed potato 400g, peeled and diced into 5mm cubes
dried brief pasta tubes 400g (akin to ditali, ditaloni, tubetti, mezze maniche, tortiglioni, rigatoni or calamaretti)
glorious additional virgin olive oil 100ml
floor black pepper ½ tsp
herb 1 sprig of rosemary, basil, oregano, fennel fronds or sage, chopped
pecorino romano or parmesan 80g, freshly grated (optionally available)
Set a big pan of well-salted water (10g salt per litre) on to boil. Should you diced precisely, the potato will take 8-10 minutes to cook dinner till barely mushy, fully tender, however not fairly disintegrating. Should you’re not sure, check a couple of cubes within the water earlier than continuing.
Relying on the cooking time of the pasta, add the pasta and potatoes as a way to the water, so they’ll each be cooked on the similar time (the pasta al dente, the potato fully gentle). If you’re feeling much less gung-ho, you possibly can cook dinner the potato first, drain it, and preserve it heat whereas the pasta cooks.
Put the oil, pepper and your chosen herb in a metallic bowl and, if the bowl suits, heat them collectively over the water because the pasta cooks. Don’t let the water boil over.
Drain the pasta and potatoes, reserving among the cooking water, and add them to the bowl of oil.
Toss vigorously, including splashes of pasta water so among the potato begins to interrupt down and kind an emulsified sauce.
Serve instantly, with a little bit cheese on prime when you like.
Jacob Kenedy is chef-owner of Bocca di Lupo, London W1
