Pasta without cheese is like the cake without icing.
Seriously – the Italians have a proverb that goes “come il cacio sui maccheroni” (like cheese on maccheroni) which is when you’ve reached the point of sublime perfection.
There are various cheeses you can use on pasta, such as grana padano, pecorino or cacio (this also is a sheep or goat cheese).
But whatever pasta you choose to make and whatever you throw in, without the cheese it’s just not pasta.
But overseas there are some experiments you can do, things that Italians would never ever permit, and one of them is using ketchup.
No we’re not kidding, it has been done and here is a recipe from ketchupketchup.
splinder.
com on penne, ketchup and pecorino.
So how do you start? Well first of all, you need your home-made ketchup, using fresh tomatoes.
If all the boiling, chopping, seed-removing, season adding and jar sterilising is too difficult, just pop down to your local supermarket and buy a bottle of the stuff – you favourite brand will do.
Now you’re ready for your pasta and ketchup and, of course, your pecorino cheese.
This might be a scandalous recipe for the Italians but if you love ketchup, then it couldn’t be easier.
You basically boil your pasta and after draining it, throw it in with some ketchup and pecorino.
That’s it! Maybe a little Americanised but there you go, ketchup on your pasta (with cheese!).
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