Pasta e patate rattacasa
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Pasta e patate rattacasa
'Forget about the fact potato and pasta is carb on carb: a couple of potatoes make this dish wonderfully creamy without cream, creating something filling and deeply comforting.’
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Theo Randall
Theo is chef patron of Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at the InterContinental London Park Lane, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this November. He’s also the author of six cookbooks – the latest, The Italian Table (Quadrille, £28), is out now.
Theo Randall
Theo is chef patron of Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at the InterContinental London Park Lane, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this November. He’s also the author of six cookbooks – the latest, The Italian Table (Quadrille, £28), is out now.
Ingredients
- 650g red potatoes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g Inspired to Cook Smoked Diced Pancetta
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 350g Taste the Difference Mezzi Rigatoni
- 100g parmigiano reggiano, grated, plus extra to serve
Step by step
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Peel the potatoes, then cut into 2cm cubes and leave to soak in a bowl of cold water.
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Meanwhile, heat a large-lidded, nonstick sauté pan until hot, then add half the olive oil and all the pancetta and onions. Fry over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crispy and browned.
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Drain the potatoes, then add to the pan with the tomatoes, thyme and seasoning. Stir to combine so the potatoes absorb the pancetta fat. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes (about 300-500ml depending on the size of your pan), then partially cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
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Meanwhile, bring a separate large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than pack instructions. Reserve 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
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When the potatoes have been cooking for 30 minutes, add the pasta. Stir together and add a ladle of the reserved pasta water. Cook, uncovered, for a couple of minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened slightly (add more pasta water as required to give a silky coating consistency). Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining olive oil and the grated parmesan. Season to taste. Serve in pasta bowls with some extra black pepper and parmesan.
