Paccheri, Schiaffoni and Mezze Maniche
The Italian Way(s) for Pasta Lovers!
Today we are exploring the Italian Way(s) for Pasta Lovers with Paccheri, Schiaffoni and Mezze Maniche.
Typical of the central and southern Italian regions (Campania and Lazio in primis), with their tubular, rather voluminous shape, they vaguely resembling cut pieces of tube (or pipe) – just like big macaroni.
Note! For the purpose of this article I’ll use the ‘third-person singular’ (as for pasta). Yet, when in Italy… Say it in Italian! 🇮🇹 For pronunciation read the footnotes.
It's a short type of pasta made two ways: liscia (lì-shah) or rigata, a smooth or rigged surface. The difference is in the variable quantity of sauce it retains:
Pasta rigata - with its rougher surface - can hold more sauce, providing a lovely saucy bite.
Pasta liscia (the smooth one) provides an interesting oozy bite, and it tends to cook faster.
Liscia or rigata your pick, either one is delicious! As the old saying goes, “De gustibus non disputandum est” (One should not argue over taste).
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” ― Federico Fellini
Paccheri, Schiaffoni and Mezze Maniche
The name "Paccheri" likely comes from the gratifying noise this type of pasta makes when you dress it with sauce and fold it over. The sound is similar to the 'paf!' of a slap (schiaffo), hence 'paccheri' in Neapolitan dialect or 'schiaffoni' in Italian.
Note! The name may vary regionally.
About “Mezze Maniche”. It’s a more ‘informal’ style of pasta, a bit shorter and easier to “inforchettare” (pick with a fork) than schiaffoni. Typical of central Italy, it also goes by the name “maniche di frate” (friar's sleeves,) seemingly inspired by the clothes local monks wore during warm season.
Legend has it that the form and size came about because people needed a clever way to bring Italian garlic into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The perfect shape to hide the alium.
About the portion size
Usually served in a wide-edged pasta bowl called “cappello del prete” (priest's hat), a few pieces fill the plate, but not enough to fill you up. So a "bis" (a second round) is the norm. This pasta is so pleasantly velvety and chewy that you'll want to keep going… please prep accordingly!
💡 Quick Tip! How to eat paccheri (or mezze maniche) safely!
Pick one (or two) at a time, and watch out for the sauce hiding within, particularly in the smooth ones. Unless you don't mind getting a splash of it all over your face, and clothing!
Like most Italian made dry pastas, paccheri (and company) are usually prepared using durum-wheat semolina and water. The best part is that in recent years you can also buy gluten-free options that provide a great "al dente" texture… Trust me, it's not a given!
A pasta lover knows that…
An Italian meal is like a piece of music played “andante con gusto,” and pasta “al dente” plays a huge role in it.
It all starts “allegretto,” then grows “con gusto” with each course, until finally coffee is served. An espresso (or two) to help digestion…
Mammamiabella, we’d be lost without pasta or coffee!
Say it in Italian! 🇮🇹 To refine your pronunciation read the footnotes
The Recipe Corner
Besides the more traditional “pastasciutta” (*), these shapes are perfect for stuffing. As in the recipes we are proposing.
We used paccheri, but mezze maniche are good too (a bit more work).
Both types hold a good amount of filling,
can be easily arranged standing-up, so you can fill the pasta from the top,
held together with kitchen twine, and
baked to perfection!
Here’s our gluten-free vegetarian Tortine di Paccheri al forno (baked paccheri mini-cakes). The shape evokes an “involtino” (a little bundle of deliciousness 😋 we usually prep for the holidays).
A dish for special occasions, whenever you want to treat family and friends to something truly exceptional. An elegant way to present a pasta bake that’s mouthwatering and show-stopping.
Gluten-Free Tips
Here are some useful tips for prepping gluten-free pasta.
Use a roomy pot with - at least - 1 L of water for every 100 g of dry pasta.
1.5 L for long pasta… plenty of room to move around.
Once water is boiling, add the salt and toss in the pasta, stirring immediately to prevent sticking.
How much salt goes in the water? About 1%, yet it depends on how savory is your condiment! Please avoid over-salting!!!
‘Al dente’ test. Check the cooking couple of minutes before what’s indicated on the package.
Gluten-free pasta goes from ‘al dente to overcooked’ in no time.
For baking. Parboil pasta for 1/3 mark of the package cooking time.
Use a pastry bag to fill it, it’s the easiest way.
It’s always a good idea to save some extra sauce for plating/serving (or adding it while baking).
Gluten-free pasta tend to absorb a lot of condiment, more so when it’s baked.
Please, do use a kitchen scale for measuring, it’s the best way to achieve cost-n-time effective meals. Gluten-Free foods tend to be more expensive!
Say it in Italian!
It’s time to say it in Italian! 🇮🇹
Paccheri [pàc-kæ-ree] slaps; masculine, plural of pacchero [pàc-kæ-ro]
Schiaffoni [skiàf-foh-nee] slaps; masculine, plural of schiaffone [skiàf-foh-næ]
Mezze maniche [méz-zæ mà-nee-kæ] half-sleeves; feminine, plural of mezza manica [méz-za mà-nee-ca]
Inforchettare [in-for-ket-tàh-ræ] It's a casual way of talking about the amount of food you can pick with a fork at once.
Coming form forchettata [for-kæt-tàh-ta] forkful.
Pastasciutta [pa-stah-shùt-ta] saucy pasta.
About Pasta and Pastasciutta
In general, there are three ways of prepping pasta:
Pastasciutta: a dish of boiled pasta dressed with a sauce: it covers all saucy pastas!
It’s often translated as "dry pasta" (pasta secca), which, in reality, refers to the raw pasta being dried for a longer shelf life, and packed.
It’s pastasciutta, and there is nothing dry about it… capeesh?
Pasta in brodo: a pasta cooked and served in a broth/soup… (opposite of pastasciutta
Pasta al forno: covers all the pasta bake, parboiled or not prior to baking.
Also an excellent way to eat up almost any leftover pasta.
That's all for now. We really appreciate you taking the time to read this far: Grazie mille!!!
We hope you enjoyed this post, and that you'll eventually try out our recipes! Just let us konw how it goes.
Arrivederci e Buon Appetibilis!