Abruzzo pasta al forno

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 350 g pasta (mezza zita or penne)
• 300g mozzarella or scamorza
• 500 g tomatoes, firm ripe
• 3 tbsp olive oil, cold-pressed
• 250 g minced beef
• ½ jar white wine, dry
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 eggs
• 20 g butter
• 3 tbsp Parmesan, grated
• salt and pepper
• 200 g minced beef
• 1 egg(s)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan, grated
• 3 tbsp olive oil, cold-pressed
• salt and pepper
• Butter to grease the mold

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Abruzzese oven-baked pasta

Peel the scamorza and cut into thin slices or grate them (or finely slice the mozzarella). Briefly immerse the tomatoes in boiling water, rinse in cold water, peel and deseed them (you can also use peeled tomatoes from a can), and cut into pieces. Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown 250g of minced beef. Season with salt and pepper, pour in the wine, and reduce over high heat. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed. Meanwhile, boil 2 eggs for 7 to 8 minutes, peel, and slice them. For the meat rolls, put 200g of minced beef in a bowl, add 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and mix everything well. Then shape the mixture into hazelnut-sized balls. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the meatballs. Add the meatballs to the ragout and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Bring plenty of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the mezza zita (or other tubular pasta) until al dente, then drain. Toss the pasta with one-third of the ragout. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter and add some of the pasta mix. Spread a little ragout on top, followed by a layer of scamorza (or mozzarella), a few slices of egg, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are used up; finish with the ragout. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (gas mark 2-3, fan oven 170°C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the Abruzzo pasta al forno in the dish immediately while it’s still hot.