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PASTA AL FORNO – TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE | Sedicipuglia with Clementina

                                    

Pasta al forno, or baked pasta, is one of the timeless classics of Italian home cooking.

It’s the kind of dish that brings families together around the table, filling the house with a comforting aroma that speaks of Sunday lunches, laughter, and warmth.

Made with rigatoni, a rich homemade meat ragù, mozzarella, and plenty of grated cheese, this dish is the definition of comfort food: hearty, cheesy, golden on top, and deeply satisfying.

Every Italian family has their own version, often passed down through generations, but the essence remains the same: simple ingredients, lots of love, and the joy of sharing a good meal.

This pasta al forno recipe is easy to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser, perfect for both festive occasions and cozy family dinners.

🍝 Ingredients

For the meat ragù:

• 200 g (about 7 oz) mixed ground meat

• 200 g (about 7 oz) tomato purée

• 1/2 chopped onion

• 1/2 carrot

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (Sottolestelle)

• 2 pinches of nutmeg

• Salt to taste

For assembling:

• 250 g (about 9 oz) mozzarella

• 300 g (about 10.5 oz) rigatoni (Sottolestelle)

• 2–3 handfuls of grated cheese

👩‍🍳 Directions

1️⃣ Prepare the ragù:

Sauté the onion, carrot, and olive oil in a pan. Add the ground meat and brown it. Then, add the tomato purée, nutmeg, and salt. Cook over very low heat for about 1 hour.

2️⃣ Cook the pasta:

Boil the rigatoni in plenty of salted water and drain them very al dente.

3️⃣ Cut the mozzarella:

Cut the mozzarella into coarse pieces.

4️⃣ Assemble the baking dish:

Spread a little ragù on the bottom of a baking dish. Add half of the pasta, layer with mozzarella and grated cheese. Mix slightly, then add the remaining pasta and top with more mozzarella, ragù, and a final sprinkle of grated cheese.

5️⃣ Bake:

Bake in a preheated oven at 170°–180°C (about 340°–355°F) for around 20 minutes, until the surface is nicely golden and crispy.

🧡 Conclusion

I love when the top gets really crispy: every forkful is a little pleasure, with a melting heart inside and a flavorful crust on top.

A simple and irresistible dish that tells the full story of Italian home cooking.

🌿 Greetings from Clementina – Sedicipuglia, from the heart of my kitchen.

You might also be interested in other Italian recipes written in English.

Tags:

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