A Culinary Journey with Head Chef Federico Pucci at Don Alfonso 1890

At Don Alfonso 1890 in the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau, Head Chef Federico Pucci demonstrates how to transport classic Southern Italian flavours to an international fine dining stage. For professional kitchens, his signature seafood paccheri offers a masterclass in ingredient respect, textural balance, and starch-driven sauce emulsification. Chefs can look to this dish for practical insights on translating regional heritage into a luxury resort environment.

Perfecting the Paccheri Emulsification

The foundation of a stellar seafood pasta lies in the relationship between the starch of the pasta and the natural proteins of the seafood. Using paccheri—a large, hollow tube pasta characteristic of Campania—requires careful management of cooking times and sauce viscosity. Because of the pasta's wide surface area, the sauce must be viscous enough to cling to both the interior and exterior without relying on heavy fats or dairy.

To achieve this, the chef leverages a natural emulsion created by combining starch-rich pasta cooking water with the juices released by the seafood during cooking. The pasta is tossed vigorously (saltare la pasta) in the pan during the final stages of cooking, allowing the starches to bind with the olive oil and seafood jus. This technique ensures a glossy, luxurious coating that enhances the natural sweetness of the wheat and the salinity of the sea.

Preserving Delicate Seafood Textures

A common pitfall in high-volume, multi-element seafood dishes is the overcooking of delicate marine proteins. Chef Pucci’s approach highlights the need for staggered cooking times. Various seafood elements, from tender cephalopods to succulent bivalves and crustaceans, require distinct thermal applications to prevent them from becoming rubbery.

The technique relies on quick, high-heat pan-searing of the seafood to lock in moisture, followed by a brief simmer in a light tomato-based broth. This method allows the seafood to release its umami compounds into the sauce base while remaining tender. The integration of sweet, acidic Mediterranean tomatoes balances the intense maritime salinity, creating a clean, bright flavour profile that defines contemporary Amalfi Coast dining.