Maltagliati means “badly cut” and is usually applied to fresh homemade pasta. Here I give you a shortcut way to enjoy the shape by breaking up dry lasagna sheets. If you want to make fresh maltagliati, follow the recipe for pasutice on page 20—the regional names vary, but the shape is the same. When using fresh pasta, remember you need more cooking water and you must stir maltagliati frequently, as the flat pieces have a tendency to stick. And if you don’t have lasagna, a long dry pasta such as fusilli lunghi or spaghetti will also be delicious with this sauce.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　3 ounces thick-cut bacon, in 1/2-inch pieces (1/2 cup)

　　1 medium onion, sliced (1 1/2 cups)

　　1/2 cup celery cut in 1/4-inch dice

　　1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, plus more for the pasta pot

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

　　3 cups (or a 28-ounce can) canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand

　　1 pound dry lasagna, broken into irregular pieces about 2 inches wide

　　1 cup freshly grated pecorino, plus more for passing

　　

Recommended Equipment

A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 14-inch diameter or larger

　　A large pot, 8-quart capacity or larger, with a cover, for cooking the pasta

　　

Step 1

Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in the big skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Toss in the bacon pieces and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, as they sizzle and render their fat. Stir in the sliced onion, cook 1/2 minute, stir in the diced celery, and season with 1/2 teaspoon or so of salt and the peperoncino. Cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and start to color, about 5 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with more salt, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce at a nicely perking simmer for 10 minutes or so.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt, to the boil in a large pot. Drop in the maltagliati, and cook only until quite al dente. With a spider, lift the pasta from the cooking pot, drain briefly, and drop it onto the simmering sauce.

　　

Step 3

Toss pasta and sauce together for a minute or two. If the dish is dry, ladle in a bit of hot pasta water from the cooking pot. If the dish is soupy, toss it over high heat until concentrated.

　　

Step 4

Turn off the heat, toss in the grated pecorino, and drizzle over it the remaining olive oil. Serve directly from the skillet, or from a warm serving bowl, passing additional cheese at the table.

　　From Lidia's Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Copyright (c) 2007 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York.