A Big Life: Pasta Al Forno

Pasta Al Forno literally means "pasta in the oven". To make an authentic version of this round, multi-layered, pasta dish at home, all you need are some fun ingredients, a little bit of time and some hungry family members or guests. Let's get A Bigger View of how you can make Pasta Al Forno for your next meal.

Chef Guiseppe LoBello's Pasta Al Forno Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Sauce:
Olive oil
1 "nice size" onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
2 12 oz. cans of pureed or crushed tomatoes
1-½ pounds of chopped meat (85% lean)
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon of fennel seeds (LoBello's Ingrediente Segretoe!)
½ cup of frozen peas
¾ cup of white wine

For the Pasta:
2 pounds of anelletti pasta (small rings)

To Complete the Dish:
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of bread crumbs
¼ pound of sliced ham

Making the Sauce:
Brown meat in a 400-degree oven or on top of the stove. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil on stove and add onions. When the onions are transparent or slightly wilted, add carrots and celery, followed by sliced mushrooms. Sautee until soft.

Strain fat from browned meat. Add to sautéed veggies and combine thoroughly.
Add wine. Cook at medium-low heat until wine is cooked down.
Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and fennel seed. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add frozen peas at the end so that they thaw in sauce. (The sauce can be made ahead of time.)

For the Pasta:
Boil two pounds of anelletti pasta approximately seven to 10 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency.

Assembling the Pasta Al Forno:
Use a large, round casserole (or square one if you prefer) that is at least four inches deep to achieve the layering effect. Butter the casserole and toss in ½ cup of the bread crumbs to coat the bottom and sides. Toss the cooked pasta with enough sauce to coat the noodles. Start with a layer of pasta, followed by ham slices, sliced eggs and finally the meat sauce. Add another layer of pasta, followed by more meat sauce. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs with pats of butter around the top of the dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand before serving. Cut into wedges and serve with a little extra sauce if you have any left. Yum.

Tell your friends and family Bon Appetito!

The next time you find yourself in Connecticut, find out how your Pasta Al Forno compares to Chef LoBello's.

LoBello's Italian Deli Catering
Heritage Square
1700 Post Road
Fairfield, CT 06430
203.255.6207 (phone)
203.255.6231 (fax)
Giuseppe LoBello, Owner

Share your Pasta Al Forno experiences or your variations on Chef LoBello's recipe, along with other ideas and recipes for great Italian meals in our Your Big Life section. Don't forget to send us your photos.

Also in our Your Big Life section, you'll be able to read Sissy's Pasta Al Forno blog. Check it out right now: http://abiglife.spaces.live.com. Read Sissy's Tips for more advice on preparing this Sicilian dish.

MSN shopping suggestions:
Italian Cookbooks
Casserole Dishes

Tell a friend
Share yours






Article, logo, art, and video material © NBC Universal