Pasta mollicata (English: 'pasta with breadcrumbs') is a traditional Basilicata dish that is prepared all over the south of Italy. Compared to other pasta recipes, it is considered a "poor dish" because it is not prepared with many ingredients.

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2024)

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Pasta mollicata

Course	Primo (Italian pasta course); main course
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Southern Italy (Sicily, Apulia and Basilicata)
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Pasta, onions, bread crumbs
Variations	Fresh leeks, chopped nuts, fresh mushrooms
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Pasta mollicata is usually made by frying a chopped onion (previously dipped in red wine) in a cooking pan with extra virgin olive oil and a bit of lard. A chopped tomato is then added to the mixture and cooked on high heat for several minutes. Afterwards, some stale bread reduced to crumbs is added and the pan is left on high heat for about 15 minutes. After draining the salty pasta and stir-frying it with a bit of cacioricotta cheese, the dish is seasoned with more fresh cacioricotta, oil and some hot pepper.^[1]

Pasta mollicata, like other "poor dishes", has many seasonal variations. Particular preparations include replacing onions with fresh leeks. There are also some preparations in which chopped nuts and/or fresh mushrooms are added to the basic seasoning.

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