Macarronada

FrankItalian-American, pasta, primi piatti27 Comments

Macarronada

Long time readers will know about our tradition here on Memorie di Angelina of featuring an Italian-American dish every October, Italian-American Heritage month. Over the years we’ve covered such classics as Spaghetti and Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Baked Ziti, Stuffed Shells, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Scarpariello, Chicken Francese, Baked Clams, Wedding Soup, along with along with some perhaps lesser known regional specialities like San Francisco’s Cioppino and Upstate New Yorks’ Utica Greens.

Well, this year I thought I’d do something a little different and start exploring the cookery of the Italian diaspora outside the United States. And I want to start with a dish from the country with the largest population of Italian descent in the world outside Italy itself: Brazil’s macarronada.

The Italian Dispora in Brazil

Now if you’re like me, you may have thought—or rather just assumed—that the United States was the country with the largest number Italian descendants outside Italy. Not so. In fact, the US is third with 18,000,000 Italian-Americans, far behind Brazil with 32,000,000 italo brasileiros and Argentina with 25,000,000 italo-argentinos. (If you count percentage of the population, Argentina takes the prize with over 60% of its total population having Italian heritage.)

I have to confess I had no idea the Italian diaspora in Brazil was so large. I actually lived in Brazil for a short while during college, studying for a semester at the Pontifícia Universidade Catôlica do Rio de Janeiro. But I don’t recall running into many Italians, nor do I recall eating much Italian food as such, though as a penurious student I ate my fair share of pasta, much to the amusement of my Brazilian roommates. And I do remember a particularly delicious plate of gnocchi I had at a friend’s parents’ house.

If I didn’t run into many italo brasileiros in Rio, maybe that’s because the Italian immigrants mostly settled further south, in states of São Paolo, Rio Grande du Sul and Minas Gerais. (Interesting factoid: São Paolo has the largest Italian population of any city in the world.) In common with a number of other Latin American countries, the immigration came primarily from Northern Italy in the late 19th century. The pattern shifted, however, to a predominance of southern Italians in the early 20th century.

Macarronada

As in the United States, this immigration has influenced Brazilian cookery significantly, and not just among the italo-brasileiros. My roommates’ ribbing notwithstanding, macarrão (pasta) has become very popular among Brazilians. One of the most iconic Italian influenced Brazilian dishes is today’s featured dish, a pasta dish called macarronada.

What is macarronada? Reminiscing about his childhood growing up as an italo brasileiro in an intriguing academic paper on Italian migration to Brazil and its influence on the country’s cookery, author Willi Freire writes:

As a young kid, I would eat macarronada, which is essentially any pasta mixed with some kind of marinara sauce and protein—many times, it’s a mix of whatever ingredients are left over from the week. Additionally, this dish is symbolic because it represents the working class and is typically served after the culmination of a hard, gruesome week on a Sunday afternoon.

Willi Freire, “The Exquisite Sociohistorical Intersection of Brasil and Italia”
from Noodles on the Silk Road

For this post, I dusted off my rusty Portuguese and plunged into the internets. Just as the author describes, you can find a vary array of recipes for macarronada. But perhaps the most iconic of all is the macarronada à bolonhesa, also known as macarronada de carne moída: pasta with a thick meat and tomato sauce much like the good old Spaghetti Bolognese aka “Spag Bol” so popular in the English speaking world.

But where macarronada à bolonhesa parts ways from other similar dishes is the variety of optional ingredients you can add to the sauce while it simmers, from fairly conventional ones like heavy cream, sliced mushrooms or peas to others like olives and corn kernel that would be out of the question for most Old World Italians. (More about these variations in the Notes below.)

Although the family resemblance is clearly there, an actual ragù alla bolognese this definitely is not. If this dish is any guide, Brazilians are even more willing than North Americans to break with the Italian culinary conventions. That said, like its Anglophone cousin Spaghetti Bolognese, a macarronada has a kind of primal appeal. And if you’re a fan of Spag Bol, it will be agreeably familiar and yet, for my money, even tastier.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

  • 300-450g (11 oz-1 lb) spaghetti, fettuccine or another pasta of your choice
  • 500g (1 lb) ground beef
  • 200g (7 oz) bacon, or about 6-7 strips, cut into dice or crosswise into thin ribbons
  • 1 medium onion, finely minced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 bottle of passata, a small (400ml/14 oz) can of peeled tomatoes, puréed or small can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tbs tomato paste (omit if using crushed tomatoes)
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil

Optional additions:

  • 250ml (1 cup) heavy cream
  • 1 small can of peas
  • 1 small can of corn kernels
  • A handful of green olives
  • Sliced mushrooms

To serve:

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large sauté pan, braiser or saucepan, sauté the bacon in olive oil until it is lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the ground beef, mixing it with the soffritto and seasoning with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring from time to time, until the meat has lost its raw color.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix and simmer, partially covered, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have lost their raw taste and the sauce has acquired a rich color and consistency, about 15-20 minutes.

If you are using any of the optional ingredients, add them to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or so, or until cooked through.

While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in well salted water until cooked to your taste.

Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, Pour over the sauce and mix. Serve immediately, topped with extra sauce and grated cheese.

Macarronada

Notes

The macarrão (pasta)

You can make macarronada with any pasta you care for—most recipes just call for macarrão or “macaroni”—but perhaps the most common are long ones, in particular spaghetti or fettuccini. That said, I’ve found a few recipes that call specifically for fusilli or even lasagna noodles. (More on this last one in the “Variations” section below.)

Brazilians tend to like their pasta much softer than Italians. The concept of “al dente” doesn’t really apply to Brazilian pasta dishes, at least outside (I’m guessing) foodie circles. So if you want a real macarronada, cook your pasta for the maximum cooking time indicated on the box, or even a minute or two longer.

The tomato

The tomato comes in different forms depending on the recipe. The most common is molho de tomate or a commercially sold tomato sauce. It comes in sachets, in both smooth and chunky versions. Many recipes also call for some fresh tomato, cut into dice, added to sauté along with the onion and garlic. Still others call for tomato paste, usually as an additional ingredient but occasionally just on its own, diluted in water or broth. (Very few recipes call for canned tomatoes, which would be the norm in Italy.)

There is a product by the name “tomato sauce” sold in the US, but its not clear to me it’s the same as Brazilian molho de tomate. It comes already flavored with onion and garlic—redundant in this recipe—plus extraneous spices, not to mention preservatives. I’d say better to go with a simple puréed tomato aka passata di pomodoro as a substitute. You could also use canned tomatoes, which you’ve puréed in a blender, food processor or food mill. Or crushed tomatoes, but in this case, I’d avoid tomato paste as crushed tomatoes are already quite thick.

The meat

Most recipes just call generically for carne moída (ground beef) but a few will specify the cut or a mix of cuts. For example, peito di boi (breast aka brisket), músculo (shank) or copa lombo (loin) or patinho (knuckle).

Variations

My quick dip into online recipes revealed a truly vast array of variations on the basic recipe. While an onion an garlic flavor base, ground beef and tomato in various forms figure in just about every recipe, there are lots of variations especially in the other ingredients that can make their way into the dish.

For example, not all recipes call for using bacon for the flavor base. Some add ham or a spicy sausage called linguiça calabresa (which looks rather more like a Spanish chorizo picante than hot Italian sausage) instead. Sometimes the cured meat goes into the flavor base, sometimes to the already simmered sauce. Others just omit cured meat entirely. Many recipes add a bit of chopped bell pepper, usually red or green, to the base. A few call for carrot (brining closer to the taste of the original Italian dish).

Herbs and spices sometimes make their way into the sauce. Paprika is perhaps the most common, but you will also see recipes calling for bay leaf, basil, thyme or oregano.

Most recipes call for grated cheese to finish the dish, but some take it further, having mixing the pasta and sauce in a baking dish, then topping with lots of cheese–usually mozzarella—and baking it in the oven. And if you want to take that even further, I found one recipe for a “Sunday” macarronada where you basically make a lasagna, layering lasagna noodles with regular tomato sauce, the meat sauce, béchamel and mozzarella.

Other macarronadas

As mentioned, the term macarronada is applied to a whole family of pasta dishes made with all sorts of ingredients. Probably the most common—and horrifying for most Italians—would be the macarronada made with chicken. Although tomato sauce is typical, I’ve also seen a tomato-less vegetarian macarronada. The pasta is dressed in a mix of broccoli, peppers, carrots olives and canned corn in garlic and olive oil. Again, not a dish I’d suggest to any of my Italian friends…

The variety is so vast you could think that you could call any pasta dish a macarronada, but not so. At least according to this article, while all macarronadas are made with pasta (macarrão), not all pastas are macarronadas. To qualify as a macarronda, the pasta has to be dressed with a sauce—usually but not necessarily tomato-based— then topped with lots of cheese—and include at least some “complementos” or additional ingredients to make a truly substantial meal ideal for sharing.

Macarronada

Brazilian Sunday Pasta
Servings: 0

Ingredients

  • 300-450 g (11 oz-1 lb) spaghetti, fettuccine or another pasta of your choice
  • 500 g (1 lb) ground beef
  • 200 g (7 oz) bacon, or about 6-7 strips, cut into dice or crosswise into thin ribbons
  • 1 medium onion finely minced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • 1/2 bottle of passata a small (400ml/14 oz) can of peeled tomatoes, puréed or small can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tbs tomato paste omit if using crushed tomatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil

Optional additions:

  • 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
  • 1 small can of peas or frozen
  • 1 small can of corn kernels or frozen
  • A handful of green olives
  • Sliced mushrooms

To serve:

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a large sauté pan, braiser or saucepan, sauté the bacon in olive oil until it is lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
  • Add the ground beef, mixing it with the soffritto and seasoning with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring from time to time, until the meat has lost its raw color.
  • Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix and simmer, partially covered, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have lost their raw taste and the sauce has acquired a rich color and consistency, about 15-20 minutes.
  • If you are using any of the optional ingredients, add them to the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes or so, or until cooked through.
  • While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in well salted water until cooked to your taste.
  • Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, Pour over the sauce and mix. Serve immediately, topped with extra sauce and grated cheese.

27 Comments on “Macarronada”

  1. This post beautifully captures the essence of Italian-American Heritage Month! BTW those statistics on the Italian population in Brazil are quite eye-opening, now I know and probably will be well equipped if those questions come out on a quiz somewhere in the future 🤣. Anyways the flexibility of macarronada, with its variety of ingredients and interpretations, showcases the creativity of Brazilian cooking and its willingness to embrace new flavours, I will definitely try this at home with some addtional NZ ingredients to show this pastas adaptability, thanks for the inspiration.

  2. Frank, I am a fan of these simple and delicious pasta dishes. I knew Argentina had a significant Italian heritage population but, no idea Brazil too. We had an Italian friend growing up who often made macaroni with chopped broccoli, garlic, and olive oil ( no protein).
    I learn a lot every time I visit your blog.

    Velva

  3. What a fun idea to jump into the Italian recipes of other countries – I bet that world is a treasure trove of new recipes! This sounds absolutely delicious, and it’s definitely the kind of comfort food that would make Sundays better. I definitely want to give this one a try sometime. Also, kudos for using the word penurious in a blog post – much respect!!

    1. Treasure trove indeed, David! Italians have immigrated all over the world so it should prove to be a vast topic. And thanks for the kudos! If only it hadn’t been true, lol!

  4. Frank, this is so lovely and brings back so many memories for me as a Brazilian living in the U.S. for over 20 years. Your website is my go-to place to reconnect with Italian recipes and the stories behind them that I experienced growing up. It’s also where I turn to learn more about traditional Italian dishes. Great work, Frank! I look forward to seeing more of this series.

    1. Thanks so much for your readership, Daniel! I’m so happy you’re getting so much out of the blog. For me, that’s what blogging is all about.

  5. I made it. It was traditional Nigel Slater spag bolognese plus olives. it was very good, and I’m glad I made it and even more glad that I ate it!

  6. This is really similar to a New England 1960s school cafeteria dish called “American Chop Suey.” Very odd name notwithstanding, there’s no going wrong with starch, beef, and tomatoes. Looks delicious; now all we need is a chilly night!

    1. I’d guess probably very few, just like in other countries with large populations of Italian descent… But that’s only a guess.

  7. I did indeed know that Brazil had lots of Italians as we have friends here in Queensland from Brazil who have Italian backgrounds/heritage. I don’t eat pasta but I’m sure this is tasty!
    cheers
    sherry

  8. Well, when I was a kid, I’d love watching some Brazilian soup operas, so I remember from them the strong presence of Italian element / culture and cuisine! 🙂
    This macarronada is new to me, though, and I must admit it sounds and looks great!

  9. I love this, Frank. I had no idea that there were so many of Italian heritage in Brazil and Argentina. Great research! I will try this, minus the garlic of course. Seems the Brazilians, like those from the US, add garlic to Italian dishes in which it was never used.

    1. Argentina I knew about from Argentine friends and colleagues over the years, but Brazil was quite the surprise. Anyway, yes, the garlic is really surplusage here and, as you say, certainly not part of the original recipe! But then again neither were corn kernels!!! 😉

    1. I reckon Germany probably has the highest or one of the highest populations of actual Italian ex pats but in terms of Italian heritage Brazil apparently takes the prize, as it were.

  10. Sounds like a great quick meal, without the peas and corn! I would add some sauteed mushrooms instead. I think Macarronada will be a great addition to your website.

  11. Amazing – peas and corn! I shot a brochure for Fisherman’s Friend lozenges (many years ago) in Fleetwood, near Blackpool. We were there for a few days and finding a decent restaurant up north (back then) was a challenge. Our first attempt was an Italian – I thought that if they had Italian accents the food would be good. The food was very good, but being the north of England (in the early 80s) all the pasta dishes came with mushy peas and chips!
    Many Italians emigrated to the UK (obviously not as many as Brazil) but they have left their mark on Scotland and Wales with cafes and ice cream parlours …and especially in London, where there are still a few excellent delis and restaurants. Soho, in particular, was a hub for Italian imigrants and still has third or fourth generation shops and cafes.

    1. 5 stars
      Pasta with peas and corn is something that would send a chill up the spine of most Italians I know, lol! And so would serving pasta with mashed peas and chips for that matter. 😉 Anyway, I find it fascinating to see how Italian cookery gets modified when it takes root in other shores and climes. I had heard about Soho but I didn’t know about the Scotland connection—that sounds like a good subject for a future post!

      1. I’m sure those poor Italians in Blackpool didn’t want to serve mushy peas and chips, but it was a local cultural necessity at the time! We had a few other weird food experiences that week and Fleetwood was a major UK fishing port back then, though the majority of cooked fish on offer was cod in batter. To be fair, the quality of fish and chips in the north was always good back then and cooked in lard!

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