TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE: This pasta dish is loved all over Italy. It is eaten by families at gatherings or celebrations and is also something eaten every Sunday as a special lunch. Children at school, from time to time, eat baked pasta for their school lunch. However, Italian government laws state that schools must use Organic Pasta, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Mozzarella.
To avoid mushy baked pasta, undercook the pasta in its boiling phase. Let the pasta boil for just five minutes before draining it well and tossing it in the sauce. Because the pasta’s going into a hot sauce in a hot oven, it’ll continue to cook long after it’s been drained. You’re looking for a semi-raw texture, even firmer than al dente pasta. Cook it completely in the beginning of the game, and by the time you serve yourself up a plate, you’ll have sad mensa-like meal.
You’ve got a lot of moving parts in a baked pasta dish: the white and red sauces, the cheese, and the pasta itself. Be sure to taste every single component before combining them and sticking the pan in the oven. Both sauces should be well-seasoned, but not overly salty, and the Pasta should be tasty with an extra-firm bite, you should not want to eat the pasta as-is. Also consider the fact that Parmesan definitely has a salty flavor, just like all the other cheese. Taste everything and adjust accordingly.
Baked pasta will never acquire that golden, bubbling crust in a regular oven. Baking it steadily at 350 degrees will ensure that the cheesy sauce melts beautifully, but the temperature isn’t high enough to get any color on the top layer of cheese. Well, unless you keep the pan in the oven for hours, which will result in overcooked pasta. Once the pasta is perfectly cooked ( about 15-20 minutes for a 3-quart casserole ), stick it under the broiler and monitor it closely. It can take as long as four minutes to achieve that deep burnished top layer, but it can quickly veer off toward too done, so be vigilant and don’t walk away from the kitchen. As a bonus, broiling the casserole will inevitably result in a few crunchy, crispy Pasta toward the top. I love crunchy, crispy Pasta .
Allowing the dish to hang out for five to 10 minutes after cooking will give the sauce a chance to settle into the nooks and crannies of your pasta. Dig in right away, and the juice will pool to the bottom of the casserole, leaving you with a thin-tasting sauce. And it’s hot! That dish just came out from under the broiler. A burned tongue means you won’t be able to enjoy your hard-earned effort.
Skill Level:  |
Time: 2 Hours |
Price:  |
Serves: 8 People |
Ingredients:
| Conversions |
Directions:
For the Meatballs:
01 - Combine all the Ingredients in a bowl and mix until you have a smooth mixture.
02 - Cover the mixture and let it rest in the fridge while you make the Tomato Sauce.
For the Tomato Sauce:
03 - In a large pan or a pot, saute the Onion and Garlic together.
04 - Add the Passata, the Water and cook over low heat.
05 - Meanwhile, mould small Meatballs and them to the Tomato Sauce.
06 - Add some Salt.
07 - Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
08 - Add the Basil Leaves 5 minuti to the end.
09 - Boil some Salted Water for the Pasta.
For the Bechamel Sauce:
10 - While the Water is brought to a boil, make the Bechamel Sauce ( Recipe HERE ).
11 - Boil the 4 Eggs and cool them under the Water.
12 - Half-cook the Pasta.
13 - Coat the Pasta with the Tomato Sauce.
14 - Take a large oven dish ( or a simple baking pan ) and spread a thin layer of Béchamel Sauce on the bottom.
15 - Pour over the Béchamel Sauce half of the Pasta, trying to spread the Meatballs evenly around.
16 - Peel the Eggs, slice them and add half of them over the Pasta.
17 - Scatter with half of the Provola Cheese cubes.
18 - Make a second layer of Béchamel Sauce.
19 - Add the remaining Pasta.
20 - Cover with remaining Provola Cheese and Béchamel Sauce.
21 - Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 180C / 350F for 35 minutes. Serve.
Notes:
- Feel free to add a couple of boiled Eggs in the oven dish with the Pasta.
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| Written by: Uncut Recipes | Disclaimer |
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