Home

Pasta al forno con patate

17/11/2023

Baked pasta with potatoes is a rustic and hearty dish, great for a family meal. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

  • 500 g of short pasta (such as rigatoni or penne)
  • 300 g of potatoes
  • 250 g of mozzarella (or scamorza), cut into cubes
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 400 g of tomato sauce
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 100 g of smoked pancetta (optional), cut into cubes
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil (optional)
  • Butter for the baking dish

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes of about 1 cm. Boil them in salted water for about 10 minutes until they are almost cooked but still slightly crunchy. Drain and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil. If you are using pancetta, add it at this stage and let it brown.
  4. Add the tomato sauce to the pan, adjust with salt and pepper, and let it cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat.
  5. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for half the time indicated on the package (the pasta should be very al dente because it will continue cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta and put it in a large bowl.
  6. Add to the pasta the boiled potatoes, the tomato sauce, the mozzarella, hand-torn basil and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
  7. Butter a baking dish and pour in the pasta mixture, leveling the surface.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top.
  9. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface is well browned and crispy.
  10. Let the baked pasta with potatoes rest for a few minutes before serving so that it stabilizes and is easier to cut.

Curiosity

This variation of baked pasta with potatoes is a fusion between two classic Italian comfort foods: baked pasta and roasted potatoes. It is a dish that lends itself to customization, so do not hesitate to add other ingredients to your liking, such as diced sausage, sliced bell peppers, or cubed zucchini to enrich the dish.