Sorrentina Paccheri With Tomato Basil and Mozzarella

Have you seen pasta alla sorrentina on an Italian restaurant menu or maybe you’ve tried in Italy and want to recreate it at home? Then, this recipe is perfect for you. It’s delicious, authentic and easy to replicate. Let’s make it together.

According to legend, gnocchi alla sorrentina was created in Sorrento, Campania. A local chef, experimenting with cooking new dishes made gnocchi. To enhance the dish, he decided to add mozzarella from the nearby town of Agerola, fresh basil, and grated cheese.

This quickly became popular throughout Sorrento, leading to the birth of the now famous dish, gnocchi alla sorrentina.

 

Is Gnocchi Sorrentina Vegetarian?

Yes, traditional Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is vegetarian. It’s primarily composed of gnocchi (made with potatoes, flour, and sometimes egg), tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil.

Our Sorrentina Paccheri with tomato basil and mozzarella, which we are making today, is also vegetarian.

 

Where did paccheri originate?

Paccheri pasta originated from Campania region in Italy. It’s a large, tube-shaped pasta, similar to giant rigatoni, traditionally used in Neapolitan cuisine.

Paccheri                                                                     Rigatoni

What is the difference between paccheri and rigatoni?

The primary difference between paccheri and rigatoni lies in their size. Both are tube-shaped pastas, but paccheri is much larger. Rigatoni is typically shorter and wider, with ridges down the length, while paccheri is usually smooth and more similar to a wide noodle that’s been rolled into a large tube.

Because of its size, paccheri is often stuffed with ingredients, while rigatoni is more commonly used with robust, hearty sauces.

Why are we using paccheri instead of gnocchi?

We chose to pair our Sorrentina sauce with paccheri instead of gnocchi for these reasons:

  1. Paccheri is a pasta shape from Campania, while gnocchi originates in Northern Italy; so our version is more local.
  2. Paccheri gives this dish an extra dimensional twist: it gives room for the sauce to get in the tube holes and sit there while being baked, and it adds a bite to the final dish.

 

 

sorrentina paccheri with tomato basil and mozzarella (14)

Easy Paccheri alla Sorrentina Recipe

I trust I have answered your question above, if not feel free to ask it away. We’re especially active on Instagram @tastewithgusto. Follow us there for recipe reels.

As you can see in the image above, we’re making Paccheri with tomato basil and mozzarella two ways. You can do the same or just choose one option.

 

 

authentic Italian meat sauce recipe

Try This Other Paccheri Recipe

If you love paccheri, make sure to save this blog and come again next week. We’ll be posting 4 paccheri recipes throughout the next month, and each recipe is from a different region of Italy.

Until then, here’s another paccheri recipe you can try:

Paccheri wtih Authentic Italian Meat Sauce Recipe (Ragù bianco)