In the region of Le Marche, as well as in a good portion of central Italy, maccheroncino al fumè, or smoked macaroni, is an essential pasta dish, and the recipe came from a man named Maciste.
Comprising smoked pancetta, tomato, cheese, and cream, the dish was first created in 1978 by chef (and bodybuilder) Stefano Marzi aka Maciste, a moniker that's a reference to his bulky muscles. In 2013, he received a certificate acknowledging him the creator of maccheroncino al fumè.
His restaurant is located in the small town of Castelplanio near Ancona, the capital of Le Marche, located on the Adriatic Sea. It seats around 100 (150 during summer), and, unsurprisingly, 90% of his guests go for the smoked macaroni.
Smoking the macaroni
Smoked pancetta is cut into coarse cubes then fried in a little extra-virgin olive oil until it becomes almost crunchy. At this point, ½ tsp. powdered spices is added to each portion. Maciste's seven-spice mix contains includes chili, nutmeg, and coriander – the other four are a secret as are the three types of cheeses melted in the tomato sauce. They're added only once the pancetta is browned and spicy.
To create a good smoky flavor at home, Maciste suggests choosing at least one type of Emmental cheese. The cheese should be mixed quickly with the tomato sauce until it's well-blended, then fresh cream is added at the end.
Lastly, keep the pan over medium heat and add drained sedanini pasta. Don’t skip this step as it adds an explosion of flavor.
Its history
After working in large hotels in Rome and Florence, Stefano Marzi opened a snack bar in 1978, serving his own style of local cuisine in Castelplanio. Marzi perfected his recipe, going only “by taste” – and it remains unchanged to this day.
"Every portion is cooked [to order]. No preparation and no pre-cooking,” he explains. “I've always done it this way. Customers feel the slightest difference and I like to reassure them. Recently, we also started offering a version of maccheroncino without tomatoes in a white smoked sauce, and more and more people have been asking for it.”
He confesses that his greatest satisfaction is when three generations of maccheroncini eaters sit at the same table – grandparents and parents nurturing the next generation of smoked macaroni eaters.