Penne Al Forno Recipes

PASTA AL FORNO (BAKED PASTA THE ITALIAN WAY)

Steps:

• Chop the carrot, onion, garlic and celery finely.
• Fry the vegetables in olive oil until they are softening. Be careful not to allow them to burn!
• Add the minced meat and cook until browned.
• Then add the tomato concentrate and stir well
• Add the glass of wine and stir well again
• When the wine has evaporated pour in the tomato pulp and mix it in well with the meat.
• Add the basil leaves and salt and pepper as required.
• Cover the sauce and allow to simmer on a low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. If it gets too thick add some water.
• 15 minutes before the sauce is ready add the peas.
• Put salted water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than instructed on the packet. Strain and add the pasta to the meat sauce when it is ready.
• Mix the pasta and sauce well and allow to cool.
• Put a layer of pasta with sauce on the bottom of an oven dish.
• Make another layer with thick pieces of mozzarella.
• Add another layer of pasta with meat sauce and again some mozzarella
• Finish with a layer of pasta.
• Sprinkle with parmesan and bake in a pre-heated oven 180-200° until the top layer starts to crisp (30-40 mins)

PENNE AL FORNO ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Mince desired amount of onion (I prefer about 3 slices).
• Sauté onion in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a saucepan. Add balsamic vinegar and desired amount of pepper and basil to the olive oil before cooking the onion.
• After cooking for about 2-4 minutes, pour the half and half on top and simmer for about 7 minutes.
• Add desired amount of canned tomatoes, but be sure to pour in all of the tomato juice. (I use 3/4s of a can) Mix well and simmer for another 7 minutes.
• SLOWLY add 5 oz of parmesan cheese: Add 2 spoons full, stir until mixed, repeat until you have enough cheese to cover the top of your pasta dish.
• After cheese is mixed and melted throughout, remove the sauce from heat.
• Add the vodka to the sauce right before you begin the next step. You want the sauce to be somewhat cool to keep the alcohol from burning out, as you want this to happen while baking the dish.
• In a dish big enough to hold all the pasta (mine is around 12x6x3 in), drizzle olive oil on the bottom until the dish is lightly covered. Add a THIN layer of DRY pasta and SPOON a layer of sauce on top. For every three spoons of sauce, add one spoon of water. when the first layer is covered, add another THIN layer of pasta and repeat until running out of sauce. DO NOT SKIP THE WATER.
• When all sauce is used, the dish should be about 3/4ths full of pasta. If all of the pasta is not submerged in the sauce/water mix, add water until it is.
• Drizzle Lemon juice and sprinkle oregano over the top (optional).
• Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
• After cooking for 30 minutes, take a fork and dig to the middle and try piece of pasta, if moderatly chewy, top the dish with the rest of your Parmesan and bake for another 5-10 minutes. If if the pasta is still starchy, bake for another 5-10 minutes, then add the cheese, and bake again 10 minutes.
• Let sit out for at least 5 minutes to cool and finalize the pasta.

PASTA FAGIOLI AL FORNO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain., Meanwhile, drain tomatoes, reserving juices; coarsely chop tomatoes. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook and crumble sausage with onion, carrot, celery and garlic over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes; drain. Stir in tomato paste, seasonings, chopped tomatoes and reserved juices; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes., Stir in beans and 1/4 cup each Parmesan cheese and parsley. Stir in pasta. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with fontina cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese., Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Freeze option: Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

PASTA AL FORNO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add onions and cook slowly until moisture has evaporated but onions are not dark brown, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and bacon. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until meat is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour wine into the skillet and cook until evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Fill tomato paste can with water and pour in. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook sauce, uncovered, until oil no longer appears on the surface, about 30 minutes. Add sugar and salt; cook and stir until dissolved, about 3 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta at a boil for about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water. Return pasta to the pot and add a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x13-inch baking dishes.
• Add about 1 cup sauce and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese to the pot with the cooked pasta.
• Spoon a thin layer of pasta into each prepared baking dish. Top each with a thin layer of provolone and mozzarella cheeses. Add sauce. Repeat layers with remaining pasta, cheeses, and sauce; finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until hot and melted, 30 to 45 minutes.

PENNE AL FORNO

Steps:

• For the bolognese: Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes, and fry until golden, about 1 minute. Add the onions and saute until the edges are crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Throw in the sirloin and saute for 5 minutes until the beef is crumbled. Add the San Marzano tomatoes, fresh parsley, oregano, raw sugar, bay leaf, sea salt and some pepper. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes.
• For the pasta: Bring salted water to a boil. Throw in the pasta and cook until almost al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15-by-10-inch baking dish, 2-to-3-inches deep, with the butter. In a bowl, mix the pasta with half the bolognese sauce. Lay down a thin layer of pasta, 1/4 cup sauce, 1/3 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmigianno. Repeat until all the pasta is used. Top off with mozzarella. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes.