Mother's Day recipe: baked pasta with tomato sauce
After the great success of the bucatini all'amatriciana recipe, for Mother's Day we would like to recommend another very simple dish in which the leading roles are played by two cornerstones of the Italian table: pasta and tomato.
We're talking about baked pasta with tomato sauce, a dish that everyone can enjoy where the flavour of the ingredients is enhanced by the crunchiness achieved by baking. A great excuse to pamper your mum by treating her to a great lunch!
Baked pasta with tomato sauce: ingredients for 4 people
- 2 jars of tomato and basil sauce or 1 jar of tomato purée
- 1 pack of penne rigate or rigatoni
- salt, to taste
- a generous amount of grated cheese, preferably Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- optional: béchamel sauce
Preparation
Bring about 1.5 litres of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and pour in the pasta. Drain the pasta once al dente, a couple of minutes before the cooking time stated on the packet.
In a non-stick pan, pour the drained pasta into the sauce or tomato purée. Heat through for a few minutes, stirring well.
Pour the coated pasta into a high-sided baking dish, distributing it evenly over the entire surface and sprinkle with plenty of grated cheese. If you want to use béchamel sauce, add it before the cheese so that it covers the entire pasta layer.
Bake in a preheated fan oven at 180° in grill mode for about 15 minutes until the surface is golden brown.
The baked pasta is ready: bring to the table and serve on plates. And enjoy your meal!
Cooking pasta in the oven: tips and tricks
Did you know that many Italians claim that reheated baked pasta is even tastier?
You'll be pleased to know that baked pasta can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Which means that if you're short of time, you can cook it the night before, and enjoy it for lunch or dinner with mum. You can even prepare a little more, and reheat it at the next meal without having to go back to the cooker.
There is also a very useful trick, which is to sprinkle a little butter or oil on the bottom and sides of the pan; this avoids the inconvenience of pasta sticking during cooking. But remember, don't go over the top with the fats!
And finally, if you want an even crispier topping, you can add some breadcrumbs to the grated cheese. This will give a unique fragrance that will make your baked pasta even more appetising: try it for yourself!