Italian Baked Pasta

A golden cheese crust that cracks under the fork, revealing tender pasta bound by a smooth tomato sauce. The aroma of toasted parmesan and fresh basil fills the kitchen.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 30 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 669
• Protein: 24 g
• Carbs: 89 g
• Fat: 24 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Dried pasta ( penne or fusilli type )
• 3 pc Round tomato ( cut into small cubes )
• 1 pc Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 pc Garlic ( minced )
• 125 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( torn into pieces )
• 50 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pc Basil ( leaves only )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 400 ml Tomato sauce or passata ( plain or passata )

Instructions

1. Cooking the pasta

   Drop the pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook them two minutes less than the package directions: they must remain very firm as they will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven.

2. Sauce base

   Sauté the minced onion and garlic in olive oil without browning. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Let reduce over medium heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

3. Assembly

   Mix the drained pasta with the sauce and chopped basil. Pour everything into a baking dish. Distribute pieces of mozzarella and sprinkle generously with parmesan.

4. Browning

   Bake at 200°C. Remove the dish when the cheese is bubbling and the surface is well browned and crispy.

Chef's tips

• Never rinse the pasta after cooking, the starch helps the sauce stick.
• If the sauce is too acidic, a pinch of brown sugar will balance it out.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven covered with foil to keep it moist.