Ziti pasta with Italian lardo (ziti lardiati)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
35 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
714 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Ziti pasta with Italian lardo (ziti lardiati)
Description
Ziti pasta with Italian lardo, or ziti lardiati, showcases the richness of Italian lardo rendered slowly with garlic and onion in olive oil. Fresh cherry tomatoes, tomato passata, and concentrate blend into a gently simmered sauce flavored further by basil or parsley and white wine, which evaporates during cooking. Pecorino cheese added at the end melts into the sauce, providing a creamy, salty finish that complements the fattiness of the lardo.
The dish is made by cooking the pasta separately to al dente, reserving some cooking water to adjust the sauce consistency, then combining everything just before serving. The texture balances tender pasta with a sauce that is both rich and fresh from the tomatoes and herbs, together showing a traditional approach to this Italian recipe.
Variations include substituting guanciale or pancetta for the lardo, or adding peperoncino for extra heat. Pasta tube shapes other than ziti may also be used with minor adaptations. The recipe reflects a regional specialty where breaking longer pasta tubes is customary.
Ingredients
- 320 g ziti pasta 11-12oz) If using zitoni or long ziti you will need to break the pasta pieces in half, or zitoni pasta
- 130 g lardo (4.5oz) preferably Lardo di Colonnata or Lardo di Arnad
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 1 garlic peeled, clove
- 1 handful basil or parsley, fresh
- 400 g cherry tomatoes 14oz) I used datterini, fresh
- 3-4 tablespoon tomato passata
- 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate
- ½ glass white wine
- 50 g pecorino cheese (2oz)
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt for pasta and to taste
Instructions
- Peel the garlic clove and onion. Cut the onion and lardo into very small pieces.
- Do the same with the tomatoes after washing them.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet. Brown the garlic in the pan (be careful not to burn it) and then add the onion and lardo.
- Cook slowly for 10 minutes so the lardo melts.
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When it starts to boil, add salt and bring to the boil again.
- Add the white wine to the onions and lardo, turn up the heat and let the alcohol evaporate.
- At this point add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then stir. add the basil or parsley. Once the tomatoes start to soften add the passata and tomato concentrate. Stir again.
- Cook for 10 minutes then remove the garlic.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When it's ready save a cup of the cooking water and drain.
- Add the grated cheese to the sauce and mix together and stir until the cheese melts. If the sauce seems dry add some of the pasta cooking water.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix everything together so the pasta gets coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately sprinkled with a little more chopped basil or parsley, and some grated pecorino if required.
Notes
- This dish can be varied by adding a pinch of peperoncino for a spicy note.
- If ziti or zitoni is unavailable, other tubular pasta like penne or rigatoni can be used; long pasta tubes should be broken as traditionally done in Naples.
- Guanciale or pancetta can replace lardo for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 714 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 714kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 69g | 23% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 40g | 62% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 48mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 483mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 555mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 664IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 174mg | 17% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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