There baked pasta in the collective imagination is the pasta al dente drained and seasoned with mozzarella, béchamel sauce and more and then baked in the oven to gratinate. But baked pasta actually means so many things because in the oven you can cook spaghetti, fusilli, pennette, gnocchi and tortellini and with a myriad of always different toppings.

The inevitable ingredients in a baked pasta I'm there mozzarella cheese, which can be replaced by a stringy cheese, the bechamel, better if prepared at home and the parmesan, but there are also many variations for vegans.

With baked pasta it is easy to make a good impression with the guests because in general it is a very rich first course, which looks very good and has that tasty crust that teases the palate. And children also love it because it is racy.

Baked pasta is also a good way to recycle advanced pasta: just add some cheese and some other tasty seasoning and bake. It will no longer be a simple heated pasta, but a completely new dish.

Here are our 10 proposals, sall of them are pasta dishes. Lasagne & Co. will be treated on another occasion.

Red baked pasta

The most classic recipe. It is usually prepared with pennette seasoned with ragù. Then add small pieces of mozzarella or scamorza cheese and fill an oven dish. Sprinkle the surface with a few tablespoons of béchamel and Parmesan and cook in the oven at 180 ° for 15 minutes.

White baked pasta

You can make it with a white sauce or with vegetables and cheese. We recommend preparing a kind of fondue by melting different types of cheese such as robiola, gorgonzola, parmesan and pecorino in hot milk. Season the pasta with this sauce and then cook it in a baking dish always with the surface covered with Parmesan, béchamel and mozzarella.

Macaroni ‘n’ cheese

A classic American recipe that children like so much. You can use macaroni that are a short pasta format or even striped ditalini or celentani. Season the pasta with a cream prepared by melting cheese such as Cheddar, Parmesan and Fontina cheese in the béchamel and seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook everything in a buttered baking dish and dusted with breadcrumbs and cover the surface of the pasta with a generous amount of Parmesan.

Baked pasta veg

Do you know that you can prepare an excellent ragu even with seitan or soy? Even the cheeses can be replaced by chopped cashews mixed with water and spices and the béchamel can be prepared at home with vegetable milk and butter and rice flour. The result will be lighter and more delicate.

Conchiglioni Fillings

A first course that usually always leaves everyone open-mouthed are the stuffed conchiglioni. It is a rather large pasta format that lends itself to being filled. We suggest a classic and easy filling based on ricotta and spinach. After cooking the conchiglioni in water, fill it and place it in a buttered and soiled pan with bechamel and cover with a simple tomato sauce or béchamel and parmesan.

Baked gnocchi

Also known as gnocchi alla sorrentina. A really simple and very tasty recipe. Once the gnocchi are cooked, they are seasoned with a tomato and basil sauce and then cooked in an ovenproof dish covered with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cubes.

Rigatoni cake

An original idea to bring baked pasta to the table in the form of a cake. Cook the rigatoni and drain them al dente. Place them upright and next to each other in a round hinge cake mold. Season them with meat sauce, making it penetrate as much as possible inside the pasta and then complete with bechamel, mozzarella and parmesan. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

Spaghetti cake

Another version of the pasta pie is the one prepared with spaghetti or tagliatelle. Generally it is a way to recycle the advanced pasta a bit like the typical Neapolitan-style omelette. In this case, whether the pasta has a red sauce, whether it is white, add a little béchamel, a few cubes of mozzarella, Parmesan and butter flakes and cook everything in a cake tin for about 15 minutes at 180 °.

Rice wreath

A very scenic first course that is prepared with the first boiled rice and then seasoned with the one you prefer. Typically, while still hot it is mixed with butter and parmesan and an egg to thicken. Then you can add tomato puree and peas, a white or red sauce or some vegetables. You can also make a crown filled with seasoning inside.

Palermo baked pasta

This Sicilian first course is a classic of Italian cuisine. Prepare with the rings that are seasoned with a red ragout and peas. Then they are placed in an oiled baking dish and dusted with breadcrumbs and alternated with layers of fried aubergines and boiled eggs. It is all seasoned with grated pecorino cheese and cooked in the oven at 200 ° for 20 minutes.

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