Pasta al Forno – Traditional Italian-Style Baked Pasta

Preparation

1. 01

   Step 01

   Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery stalk. Crush or finely mince the garlic.

2. 02

   medium heat

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery stalk and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minutes.

3. 03

   medium-high heat

   Add the ground meat and, using a wooden spoon, break it up and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until browned.

4. 04

   Low heat

   Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minutes. Add the canned sliced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

5. 05

   medium heat

   While the ragù is cooking, prepare the béchamel: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly. Cook until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.

6. 06

   high heat, boiling water

   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions (al dente). Drain.

7. 07

   Step 07

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large mixing bowl, toss the drained pasta with the ragù sauce.

8. 08

   Step 08

   Spread half of the pasta in a greased rectangular baking dish (approximately 25x35 cm). Drizzle half of the béchamel sauce over the top, then scatter half of the mozzarella pieces and half of the grated Parmesan. Spread the remaining pasta on top, pour the remaining béchamel over it, and place the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.

9. 09

   180°C oven

   Bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling at the edges. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.