Manfredi con la ricotta is an ancient Neapolitan dish made with mafaldine pasta, either tomato sauce or ragù Napoletano, and ricotta. It dates back to 1295 when it was first prepared for Manfred, the king of Sicily, upon his arrival to the region of Sannio, near Naples.

Allegedly, his hosts wanted to honor him by preparing a dish with his favorite cheese, ricotta. The dish is usually finished by placing a dollop of cheese on top just before it's served. Today, manfredi con la ricotta is one of the classic Neapolitan recipes, usually enjoyed on holidays (particularly the Carnival season) or Sundays.