As always, cooking proves a pleasant distraction during this COVID-19 lockdown. Today’s easy, tasty recipe is dedicated to Pino’s wonderful mamma, Signora Vincenza (in the photo below with our Giulia, 1995)….

…..as I first tasted this dish in her Palermo kitchen. Her tasty spaghetti con patate showcases Italy’s traditional cooking, la cucina povera.
La cucina povera (literally, “poor cooking”) is actually a rich cuisine: rich in culinary traditions and culinary history. But ingredients used are simple, directly from the land, what you have on hand – and if purchased, very economical in price.
Here’s all you’ll need for Spaghetti con Patate:

- spaghetti (a handful per person)
- 3 or 4 medium-sized potatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- small bunch of parsely
- freshly-grated cheese, parmigiano or pecorino, q.b. (“quanta basta” or “as much as you need)
- extra-virgin (only!) olive oil, q.b
- salt, pepper, q.b.
To start, I headed outside to pick some parsley….

….and after washing the parsley, I sliced it and then diced it (using our beloved mezzaluna):

Next step? Wash and peel potatoes, setting aside in cold water. Cut each potato into small cubes:

Put water onto boil for the cooking (slightly) of the potato cubes and cover the bottom of another saucepan with olive oil, for the sauteeing of the diced onion and diced garlic cloves:


When the onion and garlic are golden (do not burn!), set aside for the potato cubes.
Add salt, q.b., to the boiling water, and boil potato cubes just a few minutes; then drain, saving the water for the cooking of the spaghetti:

After putting the water back on to boil for the cooking of the spaghetti, add the cooked potato tidbits to the sautéed garlic and onion:

Simmer a few minutes, adding a ladleful or so of the boiling water to moisten, as needed.

Add salt and pepper, q.b., as potatoes simmer and put spaghetti in water when the water returns to a rolling boil. Add salt to the water, if needed.

Drain spaghetti when al dente and add it to the potato mixture (Do add a bit of that boiling cooking water, il brodo della pasta, if needed to moisten all).

Transfer your spaghetti con patate to the serving bowl.

Spoon in additional onion/garlic/potato mixture as needed….

…and sprinkle on diced parsley,…..

…and grated cheese:

Add olive oil as needed to moisten the mixture:

Serve – and enjoy.
Pino did.


Grazie, Signora Vincenza, con tanto affetto.

You taught me so much….
…… and not just how to make this buonissima pasta.

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Thank you for such a beautiful site to behold and a lovely experience! I can’t wait to prepare one of your recipes and I hope to zoom into your program on Saturday.
You really made me smile today with your delightful recipes and sharing photos of your beautiful life. My husband and I had the opportunity to visit Tuscany and Sicily a few years ago and dream of going back. Thank you!
Donna:)