Pasta Al Forno
You’ve got time. Pasta al Forno reigns as the ultimate comfort food in many parts of Italy. Essentially translating to “baked pasta” or “pasta in the oven” it can refer to lasagne, stuffed pasta, or a baked casserole of lovingly sauced noodles mixed with mini meatballs or even hard-boiled eggs. Our version offers little gold mines of cubed Sopressata along with a rich and creamy tomato-besciamella-ricotta based sauce. This may take a while to prepare and assemble, but for something this good, make the time.
Directions
Prepare the Pomodoro sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the cheese mixture
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly stream in the milk while continuing to whisk, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute longer, until the sauce is smooth and about the consistency of heavy cream.
Remove from heat and whisk in the grated Parmigiano, stirring until the cheese has melted and is well incorporated. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Sopressata and season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the dish
Cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than directed on the package, maintaining a very al dente texture. Drain well and add to the bowl with the cheese mixture.
Reserve half the sauce and add the remaining sauce to the bowl of cheese and pasta. Barely stir everything together, leaving streaks of tomato sauce through the mixture.
Ladle half of the reserved Pomodoro sauce into a baking dish, spreading to coat the bottom. Fill with the pasta mixture, spreading to evenly fill the dish. Spoon remaining Pomodoro sauce over the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until bubbling. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1 minute to brown and crisp the top, if desired. Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
For the Pomodoro sauce (optional)
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the basil immediately before assembling the pasta dish.
