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Pasta al forno alla pizzaiola (Baked Pizza-Style Pasta)

17/11/2023

Baked Pasta alla pizzaiola is a tasty variant that combines the intense flavor of the typical Neapolitan pizzaiola sauce with baked pasta. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of short pasta (ziti, penne, rigatoni)
  • 400 g of tomato puree
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 mozzarellas
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 200 g of smoked Provola (or Scamorza)
  • Oregano to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil (a few leaves)
  • Oil for frying to taste (if you wish to include ham or meatballs)

Preparation

  1. In a large pan, fry the garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Once golden, remove it and add the tomato puree. Season with salt, pepper, and a bit of oregano.

  2. Cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat and add fresh basil leaves.

  3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pasta until al dente (usually a couple of minutes less than indicated on the package), then drain and cool it under cold running water to stop the cooking.

  4. Take a baking dish and grease the bottom with a bit of olive oil or tomato sauce.

  5. Mix the pasta with most of the sauce, diced smoked Provola (or Scamorza), and half of the Parmesan.

  6. Lay down a first layer of seasoned pasta in the baking dish, add pieces of mozzarella, and cover with more Parmesan.

  7. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used up, finishing with mozzarella and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes or until the surface of the baked pasta forms a nice golden crust.

You can vary the recipe by including slices of cooked ham or meatballs in between the layers, which should be sautéed in a pan or fried before adding to the pasta.

Curiosity

In some versions of Pasta al forno alla pizzaiola, you can also include ricotta mixed with the tomato sauce to make the dish even creamier and richer. Being a very versatile recipe, it also allows the addition of other ingredients to taste, such as bell peppers, eggplants, or zucchinis previously grilled or sautéed.

Pasta al forno alla pizzaiola