Fried paccheri

To prepare fried paccheri start by making the sauce. Finely chop the shallot and sauté in a drizzle of oil on a medium flame 1, add the tomato puree 2 and water 3, stir and leave to cook on a low flame for around 20 minutes.

Prepare the filling in the meantime. Finely chop the mozzarella 4 and place it in a bowl, together with the ricotta cheese 5. Now add the salt, pepper and grated pecorino cheese 6.

Roughly chop the basil and add to the ricotta cheese mixture 7, then add the milk 8 and stir thoroughly with a spoon to mix all the ingredients together 9.

Cook the paccheri in abundant boiling water salted to taste 10 and drain them 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time 11. Drain, place them on a clean cloth and leave to dry 12.

In the meantime place the ricotta cheese mix in a pastry bag and use it to fill your paccheri 13. Once you have filled all the paccheri 14, prepare the breadcrumb coating. Beat the eggs in a bowl 15.

Add the salt, the milk, and beat some more 16. Now dip each pacchero in the egg 17 and then in the breadcrumbs 18.

Repeat to create a double coating, by dipping each pacchero in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs once more 19. Continue until all the paccheri are coated, then place them on a tray 20. Heat the seed oil and check to make sure it reaches 338°F, using a kitchen thermometer. Once at the right temperature, add a couple of paccheri at a time 21.

Fry for a couple of minutes until nice and golden 22. Drain the excess oil and place them on some absorbent paper 23. Serve your fried paccheri nice and hot. Place them in a glass with a little tomato sauce on the bottom and garnish with a basil leaf.