Apulian Mozzarella Pasta Bake
This Apulian Mozzarella Pasta Bake should be on your radar if you love mozzarella and rich pasta bakes, which Italians call pasta al forno.
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 2 small pots
- 1 dish
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 smaller bowl
- 1 chopping board
- 1 chopping knife
Ingredients
Ingredients for Tomato Sauce
- 750 ml tomato passata
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 leaves fresh basil
- salt and pepper
- Belmorso Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ingredients for Mozzarella Pasta Bake
- 500 gr Ziti Tagliati or short ziti pasta
- 250 gr mozzarella cheese not fresh mozzarella in water
- 200 gr mortadella preferably a large block for dicing
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 60 gr parmesan cheese
- 3 medium eggs
- breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Peel the garlic, rinse it and leave it whole.
- Peel, wash and chop the onion.
- Add both to a small pot, and drizzle with Belmorso EVOO.
- Leave them to sauté for a few minutes, and then pour the passata. Add the basil, season with salt and pepper and drizzle some more EVOO. Let the sauce cook covered and over low heat for around 35 to 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, you can rinse and boil your two eggs. You'll need the third one for later, so don't boil that too.
- Cut both the mozzarella and mortadella into cubes. Set some cut mozzarella aside, and add the rest with the mortadella in a bowl.
- Dice your tomatoes, and add to the bowl.
- Boil the water for your pasta in a large pot with plenty of salt.
- Once your egg has boiled, let it cool and then chop it into the bowl with the rest of the cut ingredients.
- Add the pasta to cook.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it back to the same pot. Set aside some pasta water.
- Add some of the onion and tomato sauce you made to your drained pasta, just enough to coat it, about less than half. Feel free to add some pasta water, if needed.
- Add the chopped ingredients to the pasta, and mix.
- Beat your third egg with a fork, and add that too.
- Add the grated parmesan in.
- Mix well and transfer the pasta to two baking dishes, previously oiled.
- Top with a generous sprinkle of breadcrumbs, and scatter the mozzarella cubes you set aside.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
- Take out, serve and enjoy.
Notes
If you are only cooking for two or one, feel free to make the entire recipe and freeze the leftovers.