BAKED CHEESY PASTA RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400ºF/gas 6 and put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Heat a couple of lugs of extra virgin olive oil in an appropriately sized pan. Add your onion, garlic and chilli and slowly fry for about 10 minutes on a medium to low heat until softened but without any colour. If you’re using fresh tomatoes, remove the core with the tip of a small knife, plunge them into the boiling water for about 40 seconds until their skin starts to come away, then remove with a slotted spoon or sieve and remove the pan from the heat. Put the tomatoes into a bowl and run cold water over them, then slide the skins off, squeeze out the seeds, and roughly chop. Add your fresh or canned tomatoes to the onion and garlic, with a small glass of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes. Now put them through a food processor or blender to make a loose sauce. Tear your basil leaves into the sauce and correct the seasoning with salt, pepper and a little swig of red wine vinegar. When the sauce tastes perfect, bring the water back to the boil. Add the orecchiette to the water and cook according to the packet instructions, then drain and toss with half of the tomato sauce and a handful of Parmesan. Get yourself an appropriately sized baking pan or earthenware dish and rub it with a little olive oil. Layer a little pasta in the pan, followed by some tomato sauce, a handful of grated Parmesan and 1 sliced-up mozzarella ball, then repeat these layers until you’ve used all the ingredients, ending with a good layer of cheese on top. Pop it into the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden, crisp and bubbling. Italians seem happy to eat this dish at room temperature or quite cold, but I prefer to eat mine hot.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in generously salted water 3 minutes less than recommended on package. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Pour 2 cups of the marinara sauce into dish. Add half of cooked pasta; toss well. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spoon half of the ricotta cheese in dollops over top. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers ending with mozzarella cheese. Cover lightly with foil, making sure foil is not resting on cheese.
• Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until center is bubbly and thoroughly heated. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.