Paccheri tossed in a silky, buttery tomato sauce finished with Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil. This recipe is inspired by the famous Paccheri alla Vittorio from Da Vittorio in Lombardy, adapted for a simple home kitchen.
This version pays homage to Paccheri alla Vittorio, the elegant dish from the three‑Michelin‑starred Da Vittorio in Lombardy. While this is a home cook’s interpretation rather than a restaurant plating, it captures the rich, glossy texture and bright tomato flavor that make the original so memorable.
The sauce becomes incredibly smooth and glossy by using a combination of tomatoes, briefly sautéed garlic and a final finish of butter and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. The result is simple but luxurious — perfect with crusty bread to sop up any leftover sauce.
If fresh tomatoes are out of season, there’s a great alternative using canned plum tomatoes combined with fresh cherry tomatoes to preserve sweetness and depth.
Find the full recipe and tips below for choosing tomatoes and getting that signature silky finish. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- What tomatoes to use
- Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Recipe Tips
- More easy pasta recipes to try
- Full Recipe
Ingredients
- Paccheri pasta – any short pasta works; rigatoni or mezze maniche are good alternatives.
- Chilli flakes – optional; they add a faint warmth but the sauce isn’t intended to be spicy.
What tomatoes to use
The original uses three types of fresh tomatoes: San Marzano, yellow datterini (small yellow plum) and red pachino (small red cherry). For this home version we used fresh San Marzanos, cherry tomatoes and a mix of yellow baby plums and round tomatoes.
Use a mix of larger plum tomatoes and sweeter cherry tomatoes for balance. If fresh varieties are hard to find, try 1 can (400g/14 oz) of good canned plum tomatoes plus 450g (1 lb) fresh cherry tomatoes — this combination works very well.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Step‑by‑step photos are shown below; the written recipe is in the recipe card further down.
Make the sauce – Sauté whole garlic cloves and chilli flakes in olive oil for 1–2 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes with salt and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes (photos 1–3).
Blend the sauce – remove the garlic, blend the tomatoes until smooth and pass the purée through a sieve for an extra-silky texture. Return the strained sauce to a low heat (photos 4–6).
Cook the pasta – boil the paccheri in plenty of salted water until al dente.
Finish the dish – toss the drained pasta into the warm sauce, add butter and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and stir until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the pasta. Serve with fresh basil and extra Parmigiano (photos 7–8).
Recipe Tips
- Chilli flakes – use sparingly or omit if you prefer no heat.
- Paccheri alternatives – rigatoni, mezze maniche or other large short shapes work well.
- Tomato season – this shines with ripe summer tomatoes. Off‑season swap: one 400g (14 oz) can plum tomatoes + 450g (1 lb) fresh cherry tomatoes, or 400g canned cherry tomatoes.
More easy pasta recipes to try
Pasta
Pasta alle Sette P (Seven P’s Pasta)
Pasta
Orecchiette alla Positanese (Sausage, Tomato and Burrata)
Sauces & Dressings
Sugo Finto (Vegetable Sauce)
Pasta
Roasted Cherry Tomato Spaghetti with Burrata and Nduja
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step‑by‑step photos, practical tips and occasionally video to help you get great results.
Paccheri alla Vittorio
By Emily
Equipment
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Blender
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Sieve
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) Paccheri pasta, (or other short pasta)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 360 g (13 oz) fresh San Marzano or plum tomatoes, (about 3 large)
- 675 g (1.5 lbs) cherry tomatoes and yellow baby plum tomatoes, (half of each)
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 50 g (3.5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 30 g (scant half cup) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Prep – halve the cherry tomatoes and roughly chop the San Marzanos. Peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole.
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Heat 2–3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté gently until lightly colored, then add the chilli flakes for a few seconds.
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Add all chopped tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer over medium‑low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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After 30 minutes, discard the garlic and blend the sauce until very smooth. Press the purée through a sieve for extra silkiness and return it to the pan on low heat.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
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Keep the sauce warm. Transfer the drained pasta to the sauce, add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano, and stir until the butter melts and the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta evenly.
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Serve in bowls with fresh basil and extra Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Prep and storage – the sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Sauce alternative – if fresh tomatoes are limited, use one 400g (14 oz) can of good plum tomatoes plus 450g (1 lb) fresh cherry tomatoes; follow the recipe the same way.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used throughout unless noted otherwise.
- For canned tomatoes we recommend high-quality brands for best flavor.
- Vegetable references assume medium size unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven when relevant.
- Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be treated as an approximation.