Paccheri with Gurnard Sauce

Name: Paccheri with Gurnard Sauce
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz; Gurnard (also called coccio) 2.2 lbs; Cherry tomatoes 4 cups; Water 3 cups; Garlic 2 cloves; Fresh chili pepper 1; Basil to taste; Parsley to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste

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Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 4
Cost: High

PRESENTATION

Paccheri pasta gets a major upgrade in Campania. There, people love pairing it with a rich John Dory fish sauce. Down in Southern Italy, this classic seafood pasta recipe is all about big, tube-shaped pasta and a silky, tender fish broth. And look, the star here is ‘coccio’—that’s gallinella di mare—which brings a delicate but super savory flavor you just don’t find everywhere. The broth, or brodetto, really gets all the best flavors out of the fish bones, making the sauce creamy and a bit tangy. Really good stuff. What makes this different from other Mediterranean gourmet pasta recipes is how paccheri releases just enough starch. It is smooth and clingy. You get a plate that feels moist and full of flavor, with every bite soaking up that seafood goodness. Folks in Campania swear by paccheri for this kind of meal because it holds up—no mushy pasta here.

When you take a bite, the sauce sticks perfectly inside those big pasta tubes, giving pops of that sweet seafood taste every time. Compared to regular marinara, this fish pasta sauce has more depth. The way the John Dory fish and ‘coccio’ mix is pretty special. Plus, regional cooks often add local olive oil or a splash of white wine. It lifts the flavors without overpowering the fish—pretty much a staple at seaside tables and family gatherings. For anyone who loves Italian seafood dishes, this recipe surprises you with its balance of crispy edges on the pasta and the rich, almost buttery finish from the fish sauce. It’s the kind of food you’ll want to make again and again, no question. Especially when you want something that feels special and totally down-to-earth. With a plate of this, you get a taste of Campania’s best seafood cooking techniques and a real sense of why traditional paccheri pasta recipes keep people coming back for more. Hosting friends? Or just craving something super tasty? This dish is sure to impress with its authentic flavors and comforting feel. Really, it’s a winner.

How to prepare Paccheri with Gurnard Sauce

To prepare the paccheri with gurnard sauce, start by cleaning the gurnard, previously gutted. Cut all the fins using a pair of scissors 1. Then heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot, along with a peeled garlic clove. Add the sliced chili pepper, seeds removed 2, and let it flavor for 3-4 minutes. Place the gurnard in the pot 3,

100 grams of washed but whole cherry tomatoes 4 and cover with water 5. Adjust the salt, and submerge the parsley 6

and cover with the lid, letting it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes 7. As soon as the gurnard is cooked, drain it and clean it by removing the central bone and smaller ones 8. Break the flesh into coarse pieces and place the central spine and head back into the cooking broth; let it flavor 9.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, pour a drizzle of oil and another garlic clove, then add the remaining 500 g of cherry tomatoes, also washed and whole 10. After a couple of minutes of sizzling, pour a ladleful of fish broth over the tomatoes, letting them cook for 5 minutes 11. At this point, add the gurnard pieces 12

along with the basil leaves 13. Stir and cover with the lid so the sauce doesn't dry out too much 14. In the meantime, cook the paccheri in boiling salted water 15

and halfway through, drain them into the sauce 16, adding water as needed to finish the cooking while gently stirring occasionally 17. Your paccheri with gurnard sauce are ready, just plate them and garnish with a bit of basil. Enjoy your meal 18!

Storage

It is recommended to consume the paccheri with gurnard sauce immediately as the pasta and fish texture might become mushy. Alternatively, you can store them for a couple of days at most, keeping the container in the refrigerator.
Freezing is not recommended; however, you can freeze the gurnard broth if any remains from the preparation.

Tip

All that's left is to customize the broth for the paccheri with gurnard sauce using your choice of aromatic herbs! Thyme and dill would work well. If you want to add a fragrant note to the dish, grate a small amount of lemon zest before serving: you'll find it a delight!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Paccheri with Gurnard Sauce

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Paccheri with Gurnard Sauce

Storage

Tip

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