Home

Pasta mista al forno gratinata

17/11/2023

Baked mixed pasta au gratin is a traditional and comforting dish, especially appreciated for family lunches or for occasions when something substantial and reassuring is desired. Here is the recipe to prepare it:

Ingredients

  • 500 g of mixed pasta (or various shapes of short pasta)
  • 400 g of tomato pulp
  • 150 g of mozzarella
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan
  • 150 g of diced cooked ham (optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • Fresh basil to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 onion
  • 50 g of butter
  • Breadcrumbs to taste

Preparation

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta very al dente (subtract 2-3 minutes from the cooking time indicated on the package), as it will continue to cook in the oven.
  3. In the meantime, prepare a sauté with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped onion until it becomes translucent.
  4. Add the tomato pulp to the sauté, salt, pepper, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. If desired, fresh basil leaves can also be added.
  5. Once cooked, drain the pasta and pour it into a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce, diced cooked ham, cubed mozzarella, grated Parmesan, eggs and mix well to amalgamate all the ingredients.
  6. Butter a baking dish and sprinkle the bottom with breadcrumbs.
  7. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared dish and level it well.
  8. Sprinkle the surface with additional Parmesan and a few flakes of butter.
  9. Bake the pasta in the hot oven and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.
  10. Once ready, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Baked pasta is a dish that lends itself to numerous variations: for example, you can add sautéed spinach, crumbled sausage, or a choice of vegetables to make it even richer.

Curiosity

In some regions of Italy, there is a tradition of preparing “baked pasta” for Sunday lunch or for holidays. Often families add to the recipe leftover ingredients from the week, such as meat sauces or various cheeses, making this dish a delicious example of “recycling cuisine”.

Pasta mista al forno gratinata