Baked orecchiette with lamb alla Materana
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
1055 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Baked orecchiette with lamb alla Materana
Description
This recipe starts with a sauce made by browning diced lamb meat in olive oil, then simmering it with tomato passata until flavorful and saucy. The orecchiette pasta is cooked slightly less than al dente to ensure it finishes cooking when baked with the sauce and cheese. This layering of pasta mixed with lamb tomato sauce, topped with sliced mozzarella and grated pecorino romano, creates a harmonious balance of savory meat, creamy cheese, and tender pasta.
Baking the assembled dish in the oven melds the ingredients, melts the mozzarella, and browns the pecorino slightly, adding texture and depth of flavor. The result is a hearty pasta bake with distinct lamb presence and cheesy richness.
The dish pairs well as a main course for dinner, offering a filling, meat-forward pasta option. Leftovers keep for a few days in the refrigerator and reheat well in an oven or microwave, though freezing is not recommended due to cheese texture changes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta fresh or dried
- 10.5 oz ground lamb I used diced leg meat, or diced lamb
- 1 lb tomato passata or fresh or canned peeled tomatoes
- 10.5 oz mozzarella cheese drained and cut into slices, fresh
- 3.5 oz pecorino romano grated
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients.
- If using leg or shoulder meat, remove from the bone and dice into small pieces. If using fresh tomatoes, peel them by blanching in boiling water and then chop finely. Drain and slice the mozzarella.
Make the lamb sauce.
- Brown the lamb in olive oil in a large skillet. Once the meat is browned, add the tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta.
- Whilst the sauce is simmering put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it boils and bring to a boil again. Cook the orecchiette slightly less than al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven. Fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta.
Finish, bake and serve.
- Once the pasta is cooked, save a little of the cooking water, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix together well.
- Make a layer of orecchiette and lamb sauce in the bottom of an oven dish. Place pieces of mozzarella on top of the pasta and sprinkle generously with pecorino. Make a second layer of pasta and lamb sauce and repeat the layer of cheese. Depending on the size of your oven dish, you can make 2 or 3 layers.
- Finally bake the orecchiette with lamb in a preheated oven at 180°c (356°f) for about 20 minutes or until the top starts to crisp and brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve.
Notes
- Add extra tomato passata or some pasta cooking water if the sauce appears too dry to ensure sufficient moisture.
- This recipe works well with other short pasta shapes like cavatelli, penne, or fusilli as alternatives to orecchiette.
- Store leftovers sealed in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and reheat in the oven or microwave; freezing leftovers is not recommended to preserve texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1055 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1055kcal | 53% |
| Carbohydrates | 97g | 32% |
| Protein | 53g | 106% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Cholesterol | 139mg | 46% |
| Sodium | 847mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 994mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1184IU | 24% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 696mg | 70% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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