Pasta with Potatoes and Provola

Method

1. Peel and finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery. Save the scraps (peels, ends) to make a quick vegetable broth.
2. Place the vegetable scraps in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer to create a light broth.
3. In a large casserole, heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened and fragrant, without browning.
4. Meanwhile, grate the provola cheese and set aside.
5. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes of about 1 cm.
6. Add the potato cubes to the casserole with the soffritto. Stir to coat with oil, add a pinch of salt.
7. Add a ladle of the vegetable broth and a small amount of tomato paste (about a teaspoon). Stir well.
8. Let the potatoes cook gently, adding more broth as needed, until they start to soften (about 10–15 minutes).
9. Add the pasta (mixed short shapes) to the casserole. Stir to combine.
10. Continue cooking the pasta, adding broth little by little as it is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 9 minutes plus an extra 2–3 minutes for the desired 'attaccata' consistency.
11. When the pasta is almost ready, turn off the heat. Grate in a mix of pecorino and parmesan cheeses (about 50/50) and add a generous grinding of black pepper. Stir vigorously to melt and combine.
12. Add the grated provola cheese and a final splash of broth to help it melt. Stir until the cheese is fully incorporated and the dish is creamy and thick.
13. Serve immediately, drizzling with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling with a pinch of rosemary powder on top.