Today's recipe takes us to Naples for a rich and tasty dish to offer your guests for a Sunday lunch: pasta al forno napoletana. This baked pasta, or timballo di pasta, is one of the most beloved first courses in Italian and Neapolitan culinary tradition, as well as one of the most well-known and exported abroad. The main characteristic of this recipe is the presence of meat balls, in addition to tomato, béchamel and pasta, which make it a very tasty and substantial preparation, perfect both as a first course and as a single dish. It is a dish that pleases everyone, both adults and children.
The Essence of Neapolitan Baked Pasta
This recipe has always been associated with conviviality, family lunches and being together in joy. Precisely because it is a very popular dish, there are many regional variations of baked pasta. One of the most succulent recipes of all is perhaps that of the Neapolitan tradition. The latter, in fact, includes the use of an exceptional ingredient: fried meatballs.
Ingredients and Preparation
To prepare an excellent Neapolitan baked pasta, start by making the classic ragù: brown 700 g of minced meat in a little oil; add the tomato puree and, after salting and peppering, let it cook for an hour so that it becomes more dense and tasty.
Preparing the Meatballs
With the rest of the minced meat, create soft meatballs for your baked pasta: soften the sliced bread in water, then beat an egg with 20 g of grated Parmesan cheese, the squeezed breadcrumbs and the remaining minced meat. Create a homogeneous mixture from which you will obtain many small meatballs to fry in plenty of boiling oil. Finally, place them on absorbent paper to dry them from excess oil and prepare for the next step.
Assembling the Dish
Cook your pasta al dente, then add the mozzarella cut into pieces, a little grated Parmesan cheese, the tomato sauce and also the meatballs. Then take a large pan or baking dish, pour the mixture and sprinkle it with Classic Chef Béchamel. Finally, pour more tomato sauce, the remaining Parmesan cheese and a beaten egg on the surface. You will have to alternate in this way a layer of sauce to a layer of pasta until the ingredients are exhausted, then bake at 180° for 40 minutes so that a crispy crust forms on the surface and your Neapolitan baked pasta will be ready to enjoy.
Leggi anche: Ricetta Spaghetti Colatura e Limone
Variations and Tips for a Lighter Version
Neapolitan baked pasta is the dish par excellence to associate with a festive Sunday. It is the queen of family lunches, synonymous with genuine and traditional cuisine, a simple but at the same time substantial and satisfying dish. For this, we leave you some ideas to make it also in a lighter version. You can choose, for example, not to fry the meatballs, but simply to brown them in a pan. Pour a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and spread it over the entire diameter, turn on the heat to high and add the meatballs, turning them occasionally.
Secrets for a Perfect Gratin
To prevent the pasta from being overcooked, after the passage in the oven we suggest you drain it very al dente while, to obtain a perfect gratin, which will guarantee you a delicious crispy crust on the surface, it will be important to sprinkle the last layer with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, immerse the eggs in a saucepan with cold water and let them harden for 7-8 minutes from boiling, then prepare the sauce.
Once hardened and passed under a jet of running water, shell the eggs, reduce them into wedges and set aside.
Prepare the meatballs: let the crumb of stale bread soften in a bowl with a little milk.
Leggi anche: La Qualità Inconfondibile di Pasta Oro Giallo
Mix the ingredients well until a fairly homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Form with the prepared dough many meatballs the size of a hazelnut.
When they are golden and fragrant, remove them with a slotted spoon and let them dry on a sheet of kitchen paper.
Dip the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water and let it cook for the time indicated on the package.
Drain the pasta al dente, then flavor it in a salad bowl with the tomato sauce.
Leggi anche: Pesto di rucola: la ricetta
Pour a little sauce on the bottom of an oven-safe dish and make a first layer with the rigatoni, then season with the provola and salami in cubes, the hard-boiled eggs in wedges and the fried meatballs.
Make another layer with the pasta, add the provola and the remaining fried meatballs, and complete with plenty of sauce and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese; then put in the hot oven at 190 °C and let it cook for about 35 minutes, or until a gratin crust has formed on the surface.
Remove the Neapolitan baked pasta from the oven.
Tips and Variations
- Instead of rigatoni you can choose paccheri, conchiglioni, mezze maniche or other pasta of your liking, as long as it is in short format: more suitable for capturing all the sauce.
- To get ahead with the times you can make the sauce even the day before or, when in season, you can prepare it with fresh tomatoes: to be cooked strictly over low heat and with a handful of chopped basil to fully appreciate all the flavor.
- We fried the meatballs in boiling seed oil so as to make them crispy and appetizing but, for a lighter yield, you can also flavor them directly in the tomato sauce.
- If it should advance, the Neapolitan baked pasta is kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 1-2 days maximum.
White Baked Pasta: A Creamy Alternative
The white Neapolitan baked pasta is a dish that combines simplicity and richness of flavors. This classic of Campania cuisine lends itself to numerous variations, while always maintaining its unmistakable creaminess and the balance between the ingredients. Let's see how to prepare it in different versions, starting from the basic recipe to some creative interpretations.
Basic Ingredients
- 500 g of short pasta (such as rigatoni or broken ziti)
- 500 ml of béchamel
- 250 g of mozzarella fior di latte in cubes
- 200 g of smoked provola in cubes
- 150 g of grated Parmesan cheese
- 100 g of peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 50 g of butter
- Nutmeg to taste
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Preparation
- To prepare the béchamel, in a saucepan, melt 50 g of butter, add 50 g of flour and mix until you get a roux. Add 500 ml of hot milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, and cook until you get a smooth cream. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add salt and cook the pasta very al dente, draining it about 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package. Season it with a part of the béchamel to prevent it from sticking.
- In a pan, quickly cook the peas with oil and onion and adjust with salt. You can also add diced cooked ham.
- Butter a baking pan and create a layer of pasta. Add a part of the peas, mozzarella, provola and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
White Baked Pasta with Meat
This is a richer variant that I like to prepare with a white ragù of chicken or turkey, or with leftover cooked chicken. A creative recycling idea that is always very popular even with children.
Additional Ingredients
- 300 g of minced chicken/turkey or 200 g of shredded cooked chicken
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
Preparation
In a large pan, heat the oil and sauté carrot, celery and onion. Add the minced meat and brown it over high heat, crumbling it well with a wooden spoon. Salt, pepper and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Pasta and Potatoes Baked
This is a variant that is inspired by the classic Neapolitan pasta and potatoes, enriched by baking in the oven. It is an extraordinary dish if you love the genre because it contains all the taste of pasta and potatoes inside a golden and crispy gratin. I can guarantee you will fall in love with it.
Ingredients
- 400 g of short pasta (such as ditalini or tubetti)
- 400 g of potatoes
- 300 ml of vegetable broth
- 150 g of smoked provola
- 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
- 50 g of grated pecorino cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Breadcrumbs to taste
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Preparation
Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Cook them in a pan with the onion and oil, adding the vegetable broth little by little until they are soft. Cook the ditalini very al dente and add them to the potatoes. If necessary, add more boiling broth. You will get a very creamy pasta. Add the provola, Parmesan and pecorino, mixing well. Let it cool a little so that the pasta and potatoes become dense and compact and transfer everything to a buttered pan, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of oil.
The Ragù: The Heart of Neapolitan Baked Pasta
To prepare the ragù: Chop the onion and brown it with oil in a large pot, as soon as the onion is golden add the tomato puree, half a glass of water, salt, pepper and cook from boiling over very low heat covered with a lid for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally (you can prepare the sauce the day before, cook it, cool and store in the fridge).
Preparing the Meatballs
While the sauce is cooking, prepare the meatballs: Chop a few sprigs of parsley. Soak the bread in water. Squeeze it well, crumble it with your hands and put it in a large bowl. Add the meat to the bread, the grated cheese, the chopped parsley, the eggs, adjust with salt and pepper to taste, mix all the ingredients well together with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture. Let it rest for 30 minutes to flavor, in summer it is better to put it in the fridge covered with food film. After the time, heat plenty of peanut seed oil in a pan. With your hands form very small meatballs the size of hazelnuts. Fry the meatballs in plenty of boiling oil until they are golden on both sides, drain on kitchen paper.
Pasta al Gratin Napoletana: Grandma's Recipe
Today I give you the recipe for Pasta al gratin napoletana, the classic baked pasta of Sunday that my grandmother often prepared. Every family has its own recipe, it is said that the Bourbons liked it very much, and what I share with you today is just how my grandmother prepared it for Sunday lunch. A timballo of pasta and béchamel au gratin on the surface, creamy, golden and super tasty. An easy recipe, perfect even when you have guests.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Use excellent quality pasta that can withstand cooking well.
- Cook the pasta very al dente so that it does not become overcooked after cooking in the oven.
- Use a nice fresh smoked provola (or fior di latte) well dried.
- For the béchamel: In a saucepan, put the butter and melt it over low heat. When the butter is melted add, away from the heat, all the flour in one go. Mix well helping you with a whisk, put back on the heat and toast, as soon as it starts to sizzle add the boiling milk all at once, mix well stirring with a whisk until it thickens, you will see that not even a lump will form, perfume with pepper or nutmeg.
Assembling and Baking
Bring plenty of water to a boil, salt it and cook the pasta, drain it very al dente. Transfer it to a large bowl with the béchamel (keep some aside to put it on the surface), the diced ham, the diced mozzarella or provola, the Parmesan (leave some aside) a sprinkling of pepper and mix well. Grease a baking pan with a little butter, or single-portion pans and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Pour the pasta, sprinkle with the ladle of béchamel, the remaining Parmesan and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° for about 20 minutes, in the last few minutes turn on the grill until you get a crispy and golden crust, inside the pasta must remain creamy.
A Dish for Celebrations and Family Gatherings
Neapolitan baked pasta is a real triumph of taste, aromas and flavors. The classic dish that is made on Sundays when the whole family is reunited, but it is also perfect on many other occasions. A rich and delicious dish that, however, comes from popular wisdom. Every Neapolitan has his own traditional recipe, but a little bit of everything is fine. If you want to make it as cheap as possible you can also use leftover cold cuts and cheeses. The recipe for Neapolitan baked pasta will also become your workhorse! A clever dish, which can also be prepared in advance and then served at the right time. In this case I stuffed it with meatballs, mozzarella, hard-boiled eggs and spicy provolone but obviously you can vary according to your personal tastes. For example, you can replace the salami with the meatballs and the provolone with the ricotta. In the kitchen it is always nice to experiment and look for new tastes and new combinations! The fact is that whatever your choice at the base of the traditional Neapolitan baked pasta there is a good ragù, that is the starting point to make it really special and perfect.
Preparing the Ragù and Meatballs
Heat the oil and lard in a large pot, then brown the meat, you can do this in several stages if the size of the pot does not allow you to do this in one go. Brown the meat carefully on all sides, over moderate heat this step will take time but it is essential for the success of the recipe. At this point add the tomato paste diluted with a little water and the peeled tomatoes previously blended, lower the heat to minimum, partially cover the pot and cook slowly for at least 5 hours stirring occasionally. After this time, adjust with salt and continue cooking for another hour. While the ragù is cooking you can dedicate yourself to the preparation of the other ingredients, to make the meatballs soak the crumb of stale bread in a bowl with water, meanwhile in a bowl put the minced beef, the grated Parmesan cheese, a beaten egg, the chopped parsley, salt and pepper, squeeze the soaked bread well and add it to the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything until you get a homogeneous mixture, then form meatballs weighing about 10 g. Now put the pasta to boil in plenty of salted water, cook for a maximum of 6 minutes, it will then finish cooking once in the oven.
Final Assembly and Baking
Take a large pan, butter it and put a first layer of pasta with ragù, add half of the mozzarella, provolone, eggs, meatballs and peas, then cover with a layer of pasta and add all the remaining ingredients, keep aside a few cubes of provolone. Finish with a layer of pasta with ragù and sprinkle with the provolone kept aside and the grated Parmesan cheese.
A Must-Have for Sunday Lunches
Neapolitan baked pasta is the first dish of Sunday par excellence, the perfect one on holidays that will make happy young and old, grandmothers, mothers, aunts and all relatives! ^_^ Tasty, stringy and "arruscatella" (with the crispy crust): impossible to resist! It is a sort of distant cousin of the Neapolitan lasagna but in a sciué sciué version because the ingredients are practically almost the same but the short pasta replaces the lasagna sheets. For the rest, even here, Neapolitan ragù, fried meatballs, fiordilatte (or provola) and grated cheese cannot be missing. The most traditionalists will also add hard-boiled eggs and salami, the "frettella" (hasty) housewife will replace the Neapolitan ragù with a simple tomato sauce and "chella ca mett a' copp" (she who wants to win the competition) will give the coup de grace with fried eggplants. In short… Neapolitan baked pasta is a must of home cooking that can only be a success!
Additional Tips
- To get a more compact effect you can add an egg beaten with a fork to the pasta.
- Do you want to organize yourself in advance? Prepare the baked pasta 1 day in advance, keep it well covered in the fridge then let it acclimatize for half an hour and finally reheat it in the oven at 200° for 15 minutes! Alternatively, it is also possible to freeze it.
- Don't you eat meat or simply prefer to avoid it?
- Do you like Neapolitan recipes?
The Arabic Influence on Neapolitan Cuisine
The Arabs in Naples have not only brought the mammone, the monster that in fairy tales is still told to children today, but also many other words. Only chatter then? No sir, also succulent dishes, which fill not only the belly. Among these, the timballi. Yes we are talking about the one with the small meatballs, with salami, eggs, mozzarella and ricotta. The filling can also have other variations, the important thing is that it must be abundant and rich. And of course there is one thing that cannot be missing: it is the golden crust on the surface. The baked pasta must be "arruscata"!
tags: #pasta #napoletana #al #forno