Pasta Al Forno - Italian Pasta Bake
The amazing OG pasta bake! Pasta al Forno is baked pasta, made the Italian way. The rich ragu meat sauce and rigatoni combo is guaranteed to bring the whole family together.
Servings 8 serves
Calories 559kcal
Cost $15
Equipment
Ingredients
For the ragu sauce
- 350 g beef mince
- 150 g pork mince
- 1 litre passata 2 pints
- 1/2 cup red wine sub beef stock
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 2 cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta bake
- 400 g pasta rigatoni, penne or other tube varieties. Cooked al dente, 1-2 minutes less than packet directions.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups cheese grated. Use tasty, mozzarella or aged cheddar.
- 6 tbsp bread crumbs
Instructions
For the ragu sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add in the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Toss them around to coat them nicely in the oil, and cook until the onion becomes translucent (around 3 – 5 minutes).2 tsp garlic, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 celery stalk
- Add the beef and pork mince and stir to loosen and cook through.350 g beef mince, 150 g pork mince
- Pour in the red wine and stir until mixed through evenly. Cook uncovered until all the liquid has evaporated (around 20 minutes), stirring frequently so nothing sticks to the bottom and burns.1/2 cup red wine
- Pour in the passata then season with salt and pepper and throw in the cloves. Stir once more so everything is nicely mixed. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook uncovered for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting until you’re happy with the flavour and consistency.1 litre passata, Salt and pepper, 2 cloves
For the pasta bake
- Prepare the baking dish by rubbing the surface with olive oil, then coating in bread crumbs. Pour any excess crumbs into a dish to use on top later.1 tbsp olive oil, 6 tbsp bread crumbs
- Add half the cooked pasta into the ragu sauce and stir well, then add the remaining pasta and mix until all the pasta is well coated.400 g pasta
- Transfer pasta and sauce to the crumbed baking dish.
- Top with cheese and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs. Bake for around 30 minutes until cheese has melted and slightly browned on top.2 cups cheese, 6 tbsp bread crumbs
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
The meat sauce in this recipe is a simplified version of our Italian ragu sauce, so feel free to use that if you have some on hand. The main difference between the two is that we've removed the n'duja salumi paste and added garlic to the veggie base.
- Veggies & Herbs - We used onion, carrot, celery and garlic, which are common inclusions for bolognese-style sauces. Chop them super fine or use a food processor to make it easier. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
- Beef & Pork Mince - Traditionally, Italian pasta sauces are made with a mix of beef and pork mince. We usually use a ratio of 70% beef / 30% pork, but feel free to experiment. You can use all of one, or play with the ratios depending on your preference. You could even swap for chicken or sausages for something completely different!
- Red Wine - Dry varieties like Shiraz or Cabernet work best. Don’t worry about the alcohol content, as it will evaporate during the cooking process, leaving only flavour behind. Skip it if you prefer to avoid alcohol.
- Passata - This is a puree of uncooked tomatoes. It gives a lovely flavour and smooth texture to the sauce without being too watery. Substitute with homemade tomato pasta sauce, canned tomatoes (same amount) or 2-3 tbsp tomato paste.
- Pasta - We recommend rigatoni or penne, but you can use any kind of short tube pasta.
- Cheese - Any good melty cheese will work great, such as mozzarella or aged cheddar. Ricotta also works well.
- Prepare the Baking Dish - While you can skip this step, it works great to stop the pasta bake from sticking to the dish. Rub the surface of the dish with olive oil, then cover with a generous amount of bread crumbs. Remove any excess bread crumbs from the dish before adding your pasta, then sprinkle the excess crumbs over the cheese before baking.
- Avoid Overcooking the Pasta - It will continue to cook while baking, so make sure to stop boiling once it just becomes al dente, otherwise it can become mushy by the time the cheese has melted.
- Take Your Time - Slowly cooking the veggies and mince meat, and letting the sauce simmer gently will lead to richer, deeper flavour in the final dish.
- White Bechamel Sauce - Try mixing Sarah’s super easy no-fail white bechamel sauce through the pasta for extra flavour and to help the pasta bake hold its shape.
- Add More Veggies - Zucchini, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, spinach or capsicum / bell peppers all work well with the flavours in this dish. You can cook them through the sauce, or slice and bake separately, then layer them between the pasta similar to moussaka or lasagne.
- Extra Texture - Use panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs.
- Make Ahead - You can make the sauce a day ahead, to allow the flavour to really bloom overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1582IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 2mg