Pasta al Forno

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PASTA AL FORNO 


Instagram @mangia.con.elena

December 1st and we just got hit with our first major snowfall!I have shovelled twice already and looks like I may have to go out again. The only thing I truly love about winter is all the comfort food! Just like this pasta al forno. It is also known as baked ziti. In one of my earlier posts I shared my traditional recipe of meat ragu (sugo as we call it) and how it is an important ingredient for so many other Italian dishes. This is one of them! A meaty sauce and pasta dish with three cheeses that bakes in the oven. 
This dish looks like it is a great deal of work but trust me it isn't. As long as you have the sauce in freezer or fridge ready to go this can be prepped in half an hour. You can also make a quick marinara version of it if you would like to go meatless. Serve it with a salad and you have a great meal all ready to go on a stormy day like today. This can be  prepped a day ahead and refrigerated unbaked. I usually make a couple pans at a time. Allow the second pan to cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and tin foil and then freeze! It's perfect for those busy days where you just don't have time or desire to throw something together. If you forget to take it out  to thaw, you can bake from frozen, it will take longer but totally worth it! 
As a child my brothers and I would fight over the crispy bits on top! As soon as my mother placed the casserole on the table we attacked smacking each other's fork away trying to claim the prize before the other one did. Pull off those crispy pasta shells and some gooey cheese always comes with it!!!!  
My preference is to use medium size pasta shells. They act like little scoopers and hold delicious meat and cheese in them! The pasta shape you choose should have either ridges or pockets to hold the sauce. Ziti, rigatoni, rotini, penne rigate,rotelle  and medium pasta shells work the best. I also would highly recommend you purchase whole balls of mozarella and shred yourself. The flavour is so much better! Also, use whole ricotta and not light. You just can't get the same taste without the creaminess of the ricotta. If you are not a fan of ricotta, you can certainly leave it out! 
The last batch I added the mini meatballs that I had just made. See previous post for this classic recipe exactly the way my mom and I made them. The meatballs added great flavour and delicious little bites of heaven. Just add the frozen or fresh meatballs directly to the sauce as it is simmering. 
As with all of my recipes the measurements for spices are just guidelines. It is important to start with small additions of spices and then taste test and adjust as you go along. Quanto basta (QB) is what Italian cooking is all about. Let your taste buds be your guide!



Andiamo!

Ingredients
  • meat sauce heating in a pan ( at least 8 -10 cups)
  • 1 large package of pasta (950 grams)
  • 4 cups shredded mozarella 
  • 1 475 g container of ricotta
  • 1.5 cups of grated parmigiano reggiano 
  • salt to taste - I don't typically add anymore salt as the cheese is salty enough
Directions
  1. Prepare  all ingredients ahead of time and Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Boil pasta until almost al dente. Not quite cooked and drain.
  3. Return pasta to large pot and add sauce and mix to coat. Make sure there is enough sauce to give it a slightly soupy consistency. You do not want it to be dry. You can always add a bit of water if you find you don't have enough sauce. Remember that the pasta will absorb the sauce.
  4. Toss in mozzarella cheese, ricotta and parmigiano. Reserve some mozzarella for the topping.
  5. Ladle some sauce into a 9X13 pan to coat bottom.
  6. Scoop pasta mixture into pot and spread it out evenly. 
  7. Sprinkle mozarella on top. Cover with tin foil.
  8. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. If you are finding that the pasta is too soupy, then uncover earlier so it can reduce.
  9. Uncover and put back in oven for 10 minutes. You can even turn on broil for crispiness but be careful to not forget about it! (based on real life events 😐 
  10. Remove and rest for 5 minutes to allow pasta to absorb any excess sauce!
A Mangia! 
Fatto Con amore,

Elena 💛

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Please leave a comment! Let me know if you have any questions and if you have tried it! Thanks for the feedback!!

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