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Baked orecchiette with lamb alla Materana
This super simple delicious traditional lamb pasta bake from Matera, Basilicata in Southern Italy has only 5 main ingredients and can be on the table in less than one hour. I made it with burnt wheat pasta (orecchiette di grano arso) but you can use normal fresh or dried orecchiette or other short pasta
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 1055 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine:
Mediterranean , Italian
Ingredients
- 1 lb orecchiette (400g) fresh or dried
- 10.5 oz ground or diced lamb (300g) I used diced leg meat
- 1 lb tomato passata (450g) or fresh or canned peeled tomatoes
- 10.5 oz fresh mozzarella (300g) drained and cut into slices.
- 3.5 oz pecorino romano grated
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper. to taste
- 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.
Cup of Yum
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
- If your sauce seems dry you can add more tomato passata or some of the pasta cooking water you saved.
- This recipe can also be made with other types of short pasta such as cavatelli, penne and fusilli.
- Keep leftovers sealed in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. I don't recommend freezing leftovers.
Nutrition Information
Calories
1055kcal
(53%)
Carbohydrates
97g
(32%)
Protein
53g
(106%)
Fat
50g
(77%)
Saturated Fat
23g
(115%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
19g
Cholesterol
139mg
(46%)
Sodium
847mg
(35%)
Potassium
994mg
(28%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
1184IU
(24%)
Vitamin C
12mg
(13%)
Calcium
696mg
(70%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1055
% 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.