Sicilian Pasta and Potato Soup with Caciocavallo
Rustic Sicilian one-pot pasta with tender potatoes, tomato passata, and broth, finished with melted caciocavallo cheese and fresh parsley. The potatoes are gently mashed during cooking to create a creamy consistency without cream or béchamel.
Ingredients
- 11 oz ditalini or short pasta, wholesmall pasta shapes1:1pasta
short tubetti, pennette, or small shells work equally
- 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 3 ½ cups water or vegetable broth, whole
- 1 cups tomato passata, wholecrushed tomatoes1:1tomato
slightly chunkier texture
- salt, to taste(optional)
- extra virgin olive oil, to finish(optional)
- 1 ½ oz caciocavallo, gratedscamorza1:1mild_cheese
similar mild, stretchy Sicilian cheese
- flat-leaf parsley, chopped(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Peel and cut potatoes into small, even cubes.
- 2
Finely chop the onion.
- 3
Sauté the onion in a large pot, then add potatoes and cook over high heat for a few minutes until lightly browned.
- 4
Pour in water and tomato passata, season with salt, cover, and reduce heat.
- 5
Simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- 6
Add pasta and cook until fully tender.
- 7
While pasta cooks, gently mash potatoes in the pot with a fork to create a creamy texture.
- 8
When pasta is cooked, remove from heat, top generously with grated caciocavallo and chopped parsley, drizzle with raw olive oil, and serve hot.
Tips
Gently mashing the potatoes partway through cooking releases their starch, creating natural creaminess without cream.
Use homemade vegetable broth for deeper flavor if available.
Drizzle raw olive oil at the end rather than cooking it, for brighter flavor.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to restore consistency.
Prepare through step 5 (potatoes tender, before pasta is added). Cool, refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to a simmer, add pasta, and finish as directed.
Serve very hot in bowls. Pass extra grated caciocavallo and olive oil at the table.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip mashing potatoes to avoid a thin, brothy soup; the starch thickens it naturally.
Do not use hot olive oil at the end to avoid cooking off its fresh flavor.
Do not cover after adding pasta to avoid starchy boil-over.
Substitutions
similar mild, stretchy Sicilian cheese
short tubetti, pennette, or small shells work equally