Pasta e patate, or pasta and potatoes is a simple and budget-friendly way to use up pantry staples, such as potatoes, and mismatched smaller pasta shapes. Started with pancetta, and cooked with a touch of tomato, this meal is wonderful when topped with grated cheese and extra virgin olive oil.
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The ultimate pantry pasta!
The night before we do our food shopping, there’s usually little left in our refrigerator. On these nights, we can choose to order take-out and spend close to $100, or we can make a more economical choice and prepare a dish like pasta e patate or paste e lenticchie.
Because we almost always have pancetta (which is totally optional!) in our fridge and potatoes in our pantry, this is the perfect meal for nights like this. And it presents the opportunity to use leftover smaller pasta shapes, such as ditalini, small shells, and broken spaghetti or linguine.
It’s the waste-not-want-not mentality that begat pasta and potatoes, and I’m happy to pass my family’s recipe on to you.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Begin by dicing (basically small cubes) 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes. Also, slice 4 cloves of garlic, dice a 1/4 pound of pancetta, and dice 1 medium onion.
- In a large pan over medium heat saute pancetta for about 7 minutes or until most of the fat has been rendered in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn heat to medium-low and add in the onion. Note: You can omit the pancetta and just use 2-3 more tablespoons of olive oil.
- Saute the onion for about 5 minutes or until soft, then add in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water) to boil for the pasta.
- If you like it spicy add a 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook in the oil for 30 seconds, then add the potatoes into the pan and mix everything together.
- Turn the heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 5 minutes, making sure to coat them with olive oil and pancetta fat. Season the potatoes with a touch of salt then add in 3 ounces of tomato paste.
- Fry the paste for 5 minutes with the potatoes, mixing constantly to distribute, then add in 2 cups of water and cover.
- While the potatoes are softening up, begin boiling your pasta in the large pot of salted boiling water.
- Add the al dente pasta to the pan making sure to reserve at least 3 cups of pasta water. Turn off the heat and mix together very well. Now is the time to taste test and season with salt and pepper to get the flavor just right. If you like it on the soupy side add some of the reserved pasta water. Pasta e patate can be enjoyed very dry or on the soupy side. The choice is yours! Make sure to serve with plenty of grated Pecorino Romano or parmesan. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil onto each bowl would be a good idea along with some Calabrian chili paste or crushed red pepper. Enjoy!
Recipe tip
To make pasta e patate even more economical you can omit the pancetta entirely. Feel free to use olive oil or any other leftover fat (bacon fat, beef fat, etc.) you might have.
More pantry meals you’ll love
We adore budget-friendly pantry pastas in our home and if you do too give these other recipes a try.
- Shells with pancetta and peas
- Pasta e ceci
- Pasta al tonno
- Linguine aglio e olio
- Pasta e piselli
- Pasta con broccoli
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Pasta e Patate
Ingredients
- 1 pound small pasta ditalini, small shells, elbows, etc
- 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes small cubed, about 2 pounds worth
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 pound pancetta diced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 3 cups reserved pasta water will not need it all
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat saute pancetta for 7 minutes in olive oil. Turn heat to medium-low and add in the onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes then add in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water (2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water) to boil for the pasta.
- Turn pan heat back to medium and add the potatoes and saute for 5 minutes mixing well. Season the potatoes with a bit of salt. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.
- Add 2 cups of water to the potatoes, cover, and keep cooking to further soften the potatoes.
- When the potatoes are almost soft, but not yet fork-tender, cook your pasta to al dente then add to the pan. Reserve all the pasta water.
- Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and if desired add some of the reserved pasta water. The dish can be served on the soupy side or quite dry.
- Serve with grated cheese and hot red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta e patate can be served on the soupy side or very dry. Make sure to reserve plenty of pasta water.
- Pancetta can be omitted. Just use more olive oil.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I love all your recipes!! Keep posting them please!!
Aloha James
I made this tonight and it was delish. I did add some fennel seed in the mix which seemed to give the dish a little “spark” along with the red pepper flake. Definitely a keeper- like so many of your other recipes!
The other day I made your beef barley soup , but I decided to use egg noodles instead of barley….my mistake! lol
Hi Michael, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed it!
James, my husband‘s grandmother made this recipe 50 years ago and I have been searching for a recipe that will come as close to her recipe so that I can make it for him. Your recipe fit the bill! The only thing that I don’t believe she put in her recipe was the pancetta but it is a very good suggestion! Your videos are very easy to follow and very succinct. I also love that your children are your taste testers at the end! Your videos are outstanding. I do have one suggestion for Tara. You are such a good cook for your family that I think that you are deserving of a Dutch oven made by Le Creuset! I would also like to tell you that your spaghetti pie is the exact recipe that was my mother’s that she used to make for us before she passed. It brings back a lot of memories! Keep making those videos and we will watch them!
Thank you so much for the comment and we’re so happy you enjoyed this recipe and the videos! It’s nice to hear that these recipes are helping to create a connection to the past for you and we appreciate you sharing that with us.
OMG!! you bring me back to my mom’s cooking everytime. I remember my mom would take different pasta ‘s (left over in boxes) and make this dish. She never wrote any of her recipes down. My mom was a great cook. She passed 12 yrs. ago this month on the 30th. When I saw this it choked me up. She was a great Italian cook made everything homemade. Grew up on so many of your italian recipes. Thanks for the memories. LOL I miss real Pasta I was diagnosed Gluten Free at age 67 just couldn’t handle flour and soy. For an Italian it is a curse. But I am coping with some pretty good gluten free pasta. Thank you for sharing your great receipes.
Hi Nancy, thank you for this wonderful comment-it means so much! I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes. There are definitely some good GF pastas out there and glad you’ve been able to find some. My wife loves Banza’s linguine.