Calabrian baked pasta (Pasta Mbruscinata)
User Reviews
5
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Cook Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
969 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Calabrian baked pasta (Pasta Mbruscinata)
Description
Calabrian baked pasta, known as Pasta Mbruscinata, brings together a combination of ground veal and pork meat sauce, homemade meatballs, various cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and firm pasta like fusilli or penne. The meat sauce simmers over an hour, starting with finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery, browned with meat, then combined with tomato paste and passata, enriched with wine and olive oil. The meatballs are prepared mixing ground meat with soaked stale bread, eggs, cheese, and seasoning.
After cooking pasta just under al dente, the components are layered for baking, where the mozzarella and provolone melt and combine with the pasta, sauce, and hard-boiled eggs. This results in a substantial texture with cheesy, meaty, and slightly tangy notes. The hard-boiled eggs add an unexpected tender ingredient throughout the casserole that contrasts with the savory meatballs and cheese.
Traditionally served as a first course in Italy, it is substantial enough to serve as a one-dish meal. It reheats well, making leftovers suitable for enjoying the next day. The recipe provides a slow cooking method for maximum flavor development and careful layering to ensure an even meld of tastes and textures.
Ingredients
- 400 g fusilli pasta 14oz) or penne, rigatoni, ziti etc, giant
- 1-2 mozzarella cheese large balls
- 100 g provolone cheese (3.5oz) or cacciocavallo
- 4 egg hard-boiled
- 100 g Parmesan Cheese 3.5oz) grated or Pecorino
For the Sauce
- 400 g ground meat 14oz) veal or beef + pork, mixed
- 1-2 carrot
- 1-2 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste also called tomato concentrate
- 690 g tomato passata 1.5lbs, tomato pulp, bottled
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ wine red or white, glass
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper for pasta and to taste
For the Meatballs
- 300 g ground meat 10.5oz) veal or beef + pork, mixed, for sauce
- 2 egg
- parsley
- 100 g pecorino cheese 3.5oz, or parmesan, grated
- 100 g bread 3.5oz) or 100g breadcrumbs, stale, soaked in milk
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3-4 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Make the meat sauce first
- Chop the onion, peeled carrot and celery finely.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven and add vegetables and cook until soft.
- Add the ground meat and brown it well. Add the wine (I prefer white wine), let it evaporate.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato pulp and a bit of water if it is too thick. Add a pinch of salt and some black pepper, cover and let simmer for at least an hour.
Prepare the eggs and pasta
- Put the 4 eggs on to boil for 5-6 minutes. When cooked rinse with cold water and peel them.
- Put a saucepan of salted water on to boil to cook the pasta just less than al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is cooked, strain it and put it back in the pan.
- While the water for the pasta is heating, prepare the meatballs
Make the meatballs
- Soak the bread in milk and once softened squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Put the bread or breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl with the ground meat mix, 2 beaten eggs, the grated pecorino/parmigiano cheese, salt and pepper and a little parsley.
- Mix all the ingredients together well with your hands, and then make as many small meatballs as you can.
- Roll the meatballs in flour and fry them in moderately hot olive oil.
- When they are golden, put them in a dish covered with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Put the dish together
- Add the cooked pasta to the meat sauce and mix well.
- Put a layer of pasta and sauce on the bottom of an oven dish. Place half the meatballs on top with pieces of mozzarella and provolone.
- Put a second layer of the pasta with sauce on top of the cheese and meatballs.
- Top with the rest of the meatballs, mozzarella and provolone. Add the hard boiled eggs and finish with a sprinkling of grated parmigiano or pecorino
- Bake at 180 ° C until the cheese starts to turn golden (about 20-30minutes).
- Let the baked pasta sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- This baked pasta can serve as a main dish due to its hearty meat, cheese, and egg components.
- Leftovers reheat well and can be stored refrigerated for next-day meals.
- Cooking the meat sauce slowly enhances its depth of flavor before combining with pasta and cheese.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 969 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 969kcal | 48% |
| Carbohydrates | 74g | 25% |
| Protein | 55g | 110% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 21g | 105% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 281mg | 94% |
| Sodium | 1025mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 1223mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 3031IU | 61% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 635mg | 64% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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