Italian Baked Pasta 5/5 (1)

Pasta is a staple food ingredient of Italian cuisine. It’s basically a type of starchy noodle made from wheat flour or other grain flour mixed with egg or water to form a dough and cut into sheets or shapes which roughly counts to 300 specific varieties. For gluten free pastas, wheat flour is replaced with either rice flour or legumes, yielding a different flavour and texture.

Pastas are available in 2 forms either fresh or dried ones. Mostly store-bought are dried ones. Pastas can be prepared classically by 3 methods.

1. Pasta asciutta – cooked pasta served with a side sauce or condiment.
2. Pasta in brodo – pasta is served in a soup form.
3. Pasta al forno – oven baked pasta.

Pastas are generally cooked al dente which means cooked to be firm to the bite or to the tooth. When cooking store-bought pasta, al dente phase is achieved when the center of the pasta is cooked or changed in colour.

This recipe is based on the third method where the pastas are boiled to al dente before baking. This double cooking method yields soft pastas rather than firm al dente. Baking can be done in OTG or microwave oven or cooking range oven. If you don’t have any of these appliances, just mix both the sauces with the seasoned pasta in a skillet and drizzle the cheese of your choice, close the lid and cook in low flame till the cheese melts. Added advantage of the above-mentioned appliances is the browning of melted cheese which is a delight to your eyes and to your palate.

I used fusilli (Rotini in US) variety which is formed into corkscrew or helical shapes. Also, my fusilli were whole wheat as I always replace white flour wherever possible for it’s nutrient deficiency. Also, my white sauce / Béchamel sauce is prepared with wheat flour. It’s my healthier version of pasta, loaded with good nutrients as I complemented with fibrous veggies. Also best for kitty parties and get together as it’s a one tray pasta or a casserole meal.

This is super yummy and delicious pasta; I have a huge number of ardent fans for this baked pasta. My daughter’s friends and my guests never failed to ask for the recipe for their love for this dish. The lingering taste in their palate driven them to recreate this pasta at their home.

It becomes laborious if you are doing the sauces and pasta baking the same day. I highly recommend you to prepare the two sauces, Béchamel sauce and Arrabbiata sauce day before your pasta baking. It saves time and energy. Both these sauces when mixed is commonly called as pink sauce (mixture of white and red sauce). I used this Fusilli pasta as this corkscrew shape absorbs sauces in between its shape and tastes juicy and moist. I swear this dish is a heaven on earth, a scrumptious casserole.  

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Prepare Béchamel sauce

And Arrabbiata sauce a day or 2 before your pasta baking. You can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Take a deep bottomed pan with sufficient water to immerse the pastas and add salt, oil and let the water boil in high flame. Adding oil avoids the pasta from sticking to each other and salt for taste.

Once the water boils, add ¼ kg (250 gms) of fusilli pasta and stir well. Keep cooking in high flame till it reaches al dente texture. It took roughly 15 – 17 minutes as I used whole wheat fusilli. Cooking time of pasta varies depending on its shape and make. Generally, the instructions would be given in the store-bought packs. Adhere to it.

You can check by taking a bite of the cooked pasta, it should be firm, to the tooth. Or by smashing in between your fingers, it should feel cooked throughout the pasta.

Drain the pastas through a colander and run cold water to it to stop further cooking. Keep them aside. It yields roughly 3 and ¼ cup of fusilli pasta. (Varies according to the shape and size).

Take a skillet and heat it with a 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and tbsp of butter, then sauté garlic and red chilli flakes for 2 minutes in medium flame with constant stirring. Do not burn it, sautéing garlic and chilli flakes impart a great flavour and aroma to the pasta.

Then add diced carrot and broccoli, sauté for 2 minutes with little salt till it becomes soft. Now add coloured capsicums and fresh basil sauté for a minute.

Finally add the cooked pasta, little salt, sauté for a minute or two till everything blends well. Switch off the flame.

Keep the sauces, sliced cherry tomatoes and olives on the work table.
Preheat the oven at 250° C for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile take a oven proof casserole or tray, fill with a layer of béchamel sauce / White sauce, then scoop out Arrabbiata sauce / red sauce spread it on the béchamel sauce. Then layer the seasoned pasta on top, level it, then add Mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar cheese. The quantity of cheese is according to your choice. Again layer with Béchamel sauce and Arrabbiata sauce, all the 3 cheeses, finally garnish with cherry tomatoes and black olives.

Place this casserole into the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts and browns evenly.

Baked Italian pasta / pasta al forno with white and red sauce is ready to be served. Kids will fall in love with this cheesy, creamy luscious casserole.

Recipe Card:

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Cuisine: Italian, International

Category: One tray dish / Main Course

Serves: 4

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

For Pasta Cooking:

Dry fusilli pasta – 250 gms

Oil – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Water – to boil

For Pasta Seasoning:

Butter – 1 tbsp

Extra virgin Olive oil (EVOO) – 2 tbsps

Garlic chopped- 1 tbsp

Red chilli flakes – ½ tsp

Diced Veggies – 2 – 2 ½ cups

Cooked fusilli pasta – 3 – 3 ½ cups

Fresh basil chopped – ¼ cup  

Salt – to taste

For Pasta Baking:

White sauce / Béchamel sauce – 2 cups

Red sauce / Arrabbiata sauce – 1 cup

Sliced cherry tomatoes – 10

Black spitted Olives – 10

Mozzarella cheese shredded  – 1 cup

Parmesan cheese – ½ cup

Cheddar cheese – ½ cup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Béchamel sauce and Arrabbiata sauce a day or 2 before your pasta baking. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week.
2. Take a deep bottomed pan with sufficient water to immerse the pastas and add salt, oil and let the water boil in high flame.
3. Once the water boils, add ¼ kg (250 gms) of fusilli pasta and stir well. Keep cooking in high flame till it reaches al dente texture. It took me roughly 15 – 17 minutes as I used whole wheat fusilli. Cooking time of pasta varies depending on its shape and make. Generally, the instructions would be given in the store-bought packs. Adhere to it.
4. You can check by taking a bite of the cooked pasta, it should be firm, to the tooth. Or by smashing in between your fingers, should feel cooked throughout the pasta.
5. Drain the pastas through a colander and run cold water to it to stop further cooking. Keep them aside. It yields roughly 3 and ¼ cup of fusilli pasta. (Varies according to the shape and size).
6. Take a skillet and heat it with a 2 tbsp of EVOO and a tbsp of butter, then sauté garlic and red chilli flakes for 2 minutes in medium flame with constant stirring.
7. Then add diced carrot and broccoli, sauté for 2 minutes with little salt till it becomes soft.
8. Now add coloured capsicums and fresh basil sauté for a minute.
9. Finally add the cooked pasta, little salt, sauté for a minute or two till everything blends well. Switch off the flame
10. Keep the sauces, sliced cherry tomatoes and olives ready.
11. Preheat the oven at 250° C for 10 minutes.
12.  Meanwhile take a oven-safe casserole or tray, fill with a layer of Béchamel sauce, then scoop out Arrabbiata sauce, spread it on the Béchamel sauce.
13. Then layer the seasoned pasta on top, level it, then add Mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar cheese. The quantity of cheese is according to your choice.
14. Again layer with Béchamel sauce and Arrabbiata sauce, all the 3 cheeses, finally garnish with cherry tomatoes and black olives.
15. Place this casserole into the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts and browns evenly.

Notes:

• You can use any type of pasta. I personally prefer whole wheat pasta over white flour pasta.
• Almost any small type of pastas like fusilli, penne, farfalle, seashell pasta goes well with this recipe.
• Cooking time of pasta varies on the shape and size. Follow the instructions given on the pack of your store-bought pasta.
• Al dente as mentioned above is the texture of the pasta to be cooked, it should be firm. This baked pasta involves double cooking, as the rest will be cooked while baking.
• Choice of veggies and cheese is purely to your requirement and availability.
• I used carrots, broccoli, coloured capsicums. If you are a non-vegetarian, feel free to add chicken or seafood of your choice.
• I used fresh basil, if fresh herbs are not available, use dry herbs of your choice. Insert herbs either fresh or dry, as it yields excellent flavour to the dish.
• If the béchamel sauce has thickened after storing in the refrigerator, you can dilute it with milk and cook the sauce till it reaches the desired consistency.
• For this quantity it almost needs 3 cups of white sauce and 2 cups of red sauce. Again, quantity varies depending on your requirements.
• If you don’t have any of the appliances like OTG, microwave oven, just mix both the sauces with the seasoned pasta in a skillet and drizzle the cheese of your choice, close the lid and cook in low flame till the cheese melts. It tastes equally good, except the fact that you miss the burnt cheese flavour.
• You can prepare the sauces and season the pasta beforehand during your weekends and refrigerate it. Bake it on a busy weekday and your family will definitely raise their eyebrows for your feast….😲😃