Tiella of pasta and potatoes

The tiella of pasta and potatoes is a rich and tasty dish typical of Italian culinary tradition, especially from the Puglia region. Here is how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 300 g of short pasta (such as broken ziti or ditalini)
• 4-5 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 100 g of pecorino (or parmesan) cheese, grated
• 200 g of mozzarella (or sweet provolone)
• 400 g of tomato puree
• some basil leaves
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• (optional) bacon or cooked ham in cubes to add flavor

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices, then also thinly slice the onion.
3. In a large frying pan, lightly fry the onion in extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
4. Add the tomato puree to the sautée and cook for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and hand-torn basil leaves.
5. Meanwhile, take a baking dish and grease the bottom with a bit of oil.
6. Start with a layer of potatoes, then distribute some of the raw pasta over the potatoes.
7. Add some tomato sauce on top of the pasta and sprinkle with plenty of grated pecorino cheese.
8. Distribute pieces of mozzarella (and the bacon/ham if you wish) and proceed with another layer of potatoes, pasta, tomato, cheese, and mozzarella until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with tomato and grated cheese.
9. Pour a little water into the baking dish to almost reach the level of the last layer of pasta (the pasta will absorb the water to cook).
10. Bake the tiella and let it cook for about 40 minutes or until the surface becomes golden and crispy.
11. Once ready, let it cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving it.

Curiosity

The tiella gets its name from the pot in which it is cooked, which in the Apulian dialect is indeed called “tiella.” It is a one-dish meal that encompasses the flavor and simplicity of peasant and home cooking in Southern Italy.