Fried Paccheri

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri until al dente. Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pepper and potato cream: clean and cut the bell pepper and potato. Finely chop garlic and shallot.
3. In a pan, sauté garlic and shallot in oil. Add the bell pepper, potato, basil, salt, pepper, and a glass of water. Cover and cook until tender.
4. Transfer the cooked peppers and potatoes to a blender and blend until smooth to obtain a cream.
5. Prepare the filling: cut the pancetta into small cubes and brown in a pan.
6. In a bowl, combine Parmigiano Reggiano, sheep's ricotta, mascarpone, a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, and the browned pancetta. Mix well.
7. Transfer the filling to a piping bag.
8. Fill each cooked paccheri with the filling.
9. Place the filled paccheri in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
10. Heat oil in a deep pot to 180°C (350°F).
11. Prepare a breading station: place flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another, and breadcrumbs in a third.
12. Remove paccheri from the freezer. Coat each in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
13. Fry the breaded paccheri in hot oil until golden and crispy.
14. Serve the fried paccheri with the pepper and potato cream.