Other than carbonara or matriciana, maccheroncini al fume’ is a classic from Marche region. Invented by chef body-builder Maciste since 1978 from Castelplano, Ancona,
where he received the certificate of the inventor of maccheroncini al fume’.
Here the sauce is an explosion of flavour. A truly liberating and pleasant gastronomic decadence.
For this dish the main protagonists are the durum wheat semolina pasta, smoked bacon and spices.
Growing up in le Marche, this was one of the friends and families gathered for initiation rite of smoked macaroni. A perfect Saturday night together with pizza or meet barbecue.
Serving for 2 people:
200/240 g of "Maccheroncini" pasta (it is important you buy this kind of pasta, alternatively you can use penne or macaroni)
75 g Italian smoked "pancetta" cubes
200 g tomato "passata" or an equivalent amount of canned tomatoes passed through a sieve
75 g panna chef parmalat or any heavy sour cream
25 g Emmenthal cheese
25 g grated Parmesan cheese
1 spoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 small teaspoon of spices mixture: powder chillies, paprika, coriander and nutmeg, salt
black pepper
Put the water on to boil. Cut the emmenthal in cubes and save it for later.
In a large sauté pan, fried the cubes of bacon in olive oil until lightly browned and crispy around the edges.
Sprinkle the bacon with all the spices and give them a turn.
Add the tomato and a few tablespoon of water and give everything another turn.
Simmer over gentle heat until the tomato has reduced to a saucy consistency.
Add the heavy cream, stir it into the tomato and let cook all together for a few minutes until reduce to a consistency . Add the emmental and the parmesan cheese and mix everything together until the cheese melts completely and have a creamy, velvety sauce. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper.
Meantime, salt the water well and throw in the pasta when it boil. Cook the pasta one minute less.
Then add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and add bit by bit of pasta water for a minute until the pasta is well napped with the rich, perfectly velvety/creamy sauce.
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