Stuffed pasta chips

The year was 2021 and everybody on tiktok were making pasta chips (aka crisps in UK). To me honeslty if was a bit non-sense and a little childish. Frying pasta just to serve it as chips sounded a little disappointing (as you can’t beat real chips!) so I though, what if I make it interesting?!

I haven’t invented anything really, this recipe is based on a mix of classics of italian regional cuisine, from frittatine di pasta from Campania (breaded pasta bites) to pasta al forno and 4 formaggi (4 cheese). But I do take the credit for being the one who putting it together and taking the time to upload it on Tiktok! And since then it has surpassed the 10 millions views and It was my first real ‘Viral’ recipe. Who would have thought!

It is very delicious and playful, that I knew already as it is easy, cheesy and it makes for the perfect party food.

Serves – 4 // Prep time – 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200 gr of large conchiglioni pasta (or other shape that can be ‘stuffed’)

• 2 eggs for the eggwash

• Plain flour to dust

• Panko or breadcrumbs to coat (about 250 gr)

• 1 Lt veg oil to fry

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the cheese sauce

• 400 ml of milk

• 40 gr of unsalted butter

• 40 gr of plain flour

• 160 gr of grated Grana Padano cheese finely grated

Preparation

To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a casserole and add the flour to it. Cook for a couple of minutes on medium heat until the roux (mix of butter and flour) is well golden. Now pour in the milk, stirring with a whisk, and bring to boiling point while mixing every now and then. Season with salt and pepper and a touch of nutmeg. The béchamel should be now ready, creamy, and with no lumps. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese until it melts and blend it if necessary. Set aside and let it cool completely than put it into a pastry bag ready to stuff the conchiglioni pasta.

Now cook the conchiglioni pasta in salted boiling water until al dente following the packet instruction. Don't overcook or they will lose their shape. Drain and let them cool on a large tray withtout any oil or the filling will slide right out.

Now stuff the conchiglioni with a good dollop of filling using the pastry bag and go ahead to dust well each piece of stuffed pasta with flour, then dip into the seasoned egg wash and coat evenly with the breadcrumbs. For a thicker crust, optionally dip again in the eggs and again crumbs and set aside in the fridge to firm up.

Heat the veg oil and fry the stuffed pasta at about 180 degrees celcius for about ¾ minutes on medium heat or until well golden all around. Be gentle while mixing them as you don’t want them to burst. The result should be crispy and with a gooey cheesy middle. Sprinkle with sea salt and a little extra grated cheese and serve straight away.