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Pasta al forno (baked pasta the Italian way)

This recipe is based on my Sicilian mother-in-law's version of pasta al forno. It's rich and tasty and perfect for when you have a large number to feed!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 4
Calories: 1064 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean , Italian

Ingredients

For the meat ragu
  • 500 g minced beef and pork mix or veal
  • ½ glass white wine
  • 100 g peas
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1-2 garlic cloves (optional) garlic isn't always used in ragu. But you can add it if you like it.
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 handful basil leaves or parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoon tomato concentrate
  • 500 ml tomato pulp or passata
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta al forno
  • 400 g tortiglioni or other pasta tubes (better ridged like rigatoni)
  • 300 g caciocavallo or mozzarella cut into pieces
  • 50 g parmesan

Instructions

First the meat ragu
    Cup of Yum
  1. Chop the carrot, onion, garlic and celery finely.
  2. Fry the vegetables in olive oil until they are softening. Be careful not to allow them to burn!
  3. Add the minced meat and cook until browned.
  4. Then add the tomato concentrate and stir well
  5. Add the glass of wine and stir well again
  6. When the wine has evaporated pour in the tomato pulp and mix it in well with the meat.
  7. Add the basil leaves and salt and pepper as required.
  8. Cover the sauce and allow to simmer on a low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. If it gets too thick add some water.
  9. 15 minutes before the sauce is ready add the peas.
Second prepare the pasta
  1. Put salted water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than instructed on the packet. Strain and add the pasta to the meat sauce when it is ready.
  2. Mix the pasta and sauce well and allow to cool.
Third put the pasta al forno together and bake.
  1. Put a layer of pasta with sauce on the bottom of an oven dish.
  2. Make another layer with thick pieces of mozzarella.
  3. Add another layer of pasta with meat sauce and again some mozzarella
  4. Finish with a layer of pasta.
  5. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake in a pre-heated oven 180-200° until the top layer starts to crisp (30-40 mins)

Notes

  • Any tube pasta can be used to make this pasta bake e.g. penne, rigatoni, maccheroni, elicoidali etcInstead of caciocavallo or mozzarella you can also use scamorza or provolainstead of grated parmesan, pecorino or grana are delicious too!This dish can be prepared in advance up to the point of baking it. Keep it in the fridge and bake just before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories 1064kcal (53%) Carbohydrates 98g (33%) Protein 60g (120%) Fat 47g (72%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 17g Trans Fat 2g Cholesterol 157mg (52%) Sodium 877mg (37%) Potassium 1457mg (42%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 4144IU (83%) Vitamin C 29mg (32%) Calcium 618mg (62%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1064

% Daily Value*

Calories 1064kcal 53%
Carbohydrates 98g 33%
Protein 60g 120%
Fat 47g 72%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 17g 85%
Trans Fat 2g 100%
Cholesterol 157mg 52%
Sodium 877mg 37%
Potassium 1457mg 31%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 14g 28%
Vitamin A 4144IU 83%
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Calcium 618mg 62%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.