Stuffed Paccheri with Salted Cod on Cheese Fondue

Name: Stuffed Paccheri with Salted Cod on Cheese Fondue
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz; Desalted cod 0.9 lb; Potatoes 1.5 lbs; Fresh scallion 1; Vegetable broth 1 ¼ cup; Thyme 2 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Black pepper to taste; Asiago cheese 4.5 oz; Whole milk 1 ¼ cup; Butter 1 ½ tbsp; Type 00 flour 2 ½ tbsp; Leeks to taste

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

So, here's the thing: Paccheri ripieni is one of those dishes that, once you see it on a table in Napoli, you’re not gonna forget. Really, it's unforgettable. Those big, tube-shaped pasta pieces—sometimes called schiaffoni—are pretty much an eye-catcher, especially when they’re tied up like little bouquets with a thin thread of leek. I mean, just look at them.

The heart of this dish? It’s all about blending the bold, tender taste of baccalà (yep, salted cod) and soft potatoes, with the richness of a fonduta di formaggio underneath. So comforting. It’s perfect for Neapolitan family get-togethers or anytime you want a meal that looks as good as it tastes. Seriously good.

Just seeing those paccheri lined up, filled with a flavorful paccheri ripieni mix and resting on melty cheese, promises something memorable. And the sauce? Perfection.

And you know what? Not every pasta dish from Campania gets dressed up like this. Some folks go for paccheri al forno, stuffed with ricotta and zucchini flowers, or a version with cherry tomatoes for a moist, lighter take. But using baccalà fits so well with local tradition. It gives the dish a salty, crispy kick that plays off the smooth, golden fonduta di formaggio. People from Napoli? They're really, really proud of their cucina italiana tradizionale.

This ricetta paccheri ripieni shows how simple ingredients can make something so elegant yet down to earth. Honestly, you’ll find this dish at seafood spots along the coast, on menus as a special, or even at home for Sunday dinner. No matter how you make it, paccheri ripieni di pesce is sure to stand out, both for its look and the creamy flavor in every bite. With various regional twists, this primi piatti di pesce remains classic while finding new ways to surprise you. Whether you're in a cozy trattoria or a bustling family kitchen, the rich, savory notes of this dish celebrate the heart of Neapolitan cuisine. It's truly a taste of Campania's culinary heritage, where tradition and innovation meet on every plate.

INGREDIENTS

for 40 paccheri: Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz (320 g); Desalted cod 0.9 lb (400 g); Potatoes 1.5 lbs (650 g); Fresh scallion 1; Vegetable broth 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Thyme 2 sprigs; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Black pepper to taste

for the fondue: Asiago cheese 4.5 oz (130 g); Whole milk 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Butter 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Type 00 flour 2 ½ tbsp (20 g)

For garnish: Leeks to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Stuffed Paccheri with Salted Cod on Cheese Fondue

To prepare the stuffed paccheri with salted cod on cheese fondue, start by cleaning the fish: place the desalted cod on a cutting board and carefully remove the skin with a sharp knife. Remove any bones with tweezers, then cut the cod first into strips 1 and then into even cubes. Clean the spring onion by removing the base and the tougher green part, then slice it into thin rings 2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes 3.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan, add the spring onion along with the thyme leaves 4, and let it wilt gently over medium heat. Add the potatoes 5, stir to season them, and sauté briefly, then cover with hot vegetable broth 6.

Salt 7 and pepper, cover with the lid 8 and cook for about 15 minutes. Now bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri until al dente 9, being careful not to break them.

When the potatoes are soft, add the cod 10 and continue cooking for another 5–6 minutes, stirring gently. Meanwhile, the paccheri will also be ready, so drain them on a tray and dress them with a little oil to prevent sticking, then let them cool 11. When the cod is tender, turn off the heat and set aside 12.

In the meantime, prepare the fondue: in a thick-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat 13, then add the flour and stir with a whisk 14 until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Pour in the hot milk little by little 15.

Continue stirring 16 until the béchamel is smooth and well thickened 17. Turn off the heat and add the grated Asiago cheese 18.

Stir until completely melted 19. Now cut thin and even strings from the leek 20 and blanch them briefly in boiling water to soften them 21.

Drain the stems and let them cool 22. You are ready to assemble the dish: on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the paccheri vertically to form 4 neat bundles of about 10 pieces each. Tie the paccheri together with the leek stems 23. Transfer the potato and cod filling into a piping bag without a nozzle and fill the paccheri one by one up to the brim 24. Transfer the baking sheet under the oven grill and brown for about 5 minutes.

The surface should be slightly golden and crispy 25. At this point, you can plate: spread a couple of tablespoons of fondue on the bottom of the plate 26, then place a bundle of stuffed paccheri in the center. Your stuffed paccheri with salted cod on cheese fondue are ready to be served hot 27!

Storage

You can store the stuffed paccheri with salted cod on cheese fondue in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days.

You can prepare the cheese fondue, store it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, and use it to dress the paccheri the next day.

Tip

If you don't have a piping bag, you can fill the paccheri using 2 coffee spoons.

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

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Stuffed Paccheri with Salted Cod on Cheese Fondue

PRESENTATION

INGREDIENTS

How to prepare Stuffed Paccheri with Salted Cod on Cheese Fondue

Storage

Tip

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