Paccheri

What it is

Very large, wide, smooth tubes — short and broad enough that they often collapse flat around their sauce. From a Neapolitan/Campanian dialect word (paccharia, a slap). Durum semolina, dried.

How it's made

Semolina-and-water dough extruded into wide tubes and cut short; usually smooth-surfaced. Big enough to be stuffed (with ricotta or fish) and baked, or left to flop around a sauce.

Flavor profile

Wheaty, al dente, with a generous, slippery, almost luxurious mouthfeel from the broad pasta walls; sauce pools both inside and around it.

Culinary uses

Classic Campanian pairings: paccheri with seafood (octopus, mixed shellfish), with rich ragù (paccheri al ragù napoletano), or stuffed and baked with ricotta. The wide tube is a showcase shape.

Regional variations

Campania (Naples) and Calabria; smooth is standard, but ridged (paccheri rigati) exist. Mezzi paccheri are a shorter version.

Cultural & historical context

Paccheri carries a colorful piece of folklore: legend says the big tubes were used to smuggle prized garlic across borders hidden inside them. True or not, it ties this generous Neapolitan tube to the region's exuberant, seafood- and ragù-rich cooking.

Reference notes

• Tags: italian, semolina-pasta, durum, dried, short-noodle, large-tube, smooth, campanian, neapolitan, stuffable
• Base: durum semolina + water
• Related ingredients: seafood, ragù napoletano, ricotta, tomato
• Related cuisines: Italian (Campania/Calabria)
• Suggested Cuisinopedia links: → Rigatoni (smaller tube), → Paccheri Ripieni (stuffed, see Part 4b), → Ragù Napoletano (sauce entry)

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