Pasta al Forno with Sausage
Pasta al Forno simply means baked pasta, and unlike a lot of Italian dishes, there is no single definitive recipe for it. Every region has its own version, every family has their own take, and almost any combination of pasta, sauce, and cheese can find its way into a baking dish. Some versions are elaborate: peas, hard boiled eggs, meatballs, multiple cheeses. Others are stripped down just pasta, sauce and cheese.
I like to keep it simple. A good sausage and tomato sauce, rigatoni cooked just short of al dente so it finishes in the oven, ricotta salata grated throughout, and fresh mozzarella on top. That’s it. No bells and whistles, just a deeply satisfying baked pasta that tastes like it took all day even though most of the time is hands off.
Recipe Notes
The Pasta: Rigatonia great choice for pasta al forno and what I use here. The ridges and hollow center hold the sauce well and it stands up to baking without getting mushy. Mezzi rigatoni works just as well if you want something a little smaller. For something more unusual, try Torchio, a specialty torch-shaped pasta with ridges from Rustichella d’Abruzzo that I originally made this dish with.
The Cheese: Ricotta salata is ricotta cheese that has been lightly salted and dried for grating and adds a mild, slightly tangy flavor throughout the dish. If you can’t find it at your local store, pecorino romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano are good substitutes. I like to use fresh mozzarella (fior di latte), but low moisture mozzarella works here as well.
The Sauce: I don’t like a ton of sauce in pasta al forno (or any pasta for that matter). Just enough to coat the pasta well, with a little extra spooned on top before baking. You don’t need to use all of the sauce. If you have leftover sauce, refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it and use it on pasta later in the week.
Make it Your Own: Pasta al forno is a flexible dish. Some people add peas, hard boiled eggs, or small meatballs between the layers. I prefer to keep this one simple, but feel free to make it your own.
Leftovers: This reheats beautifully. Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes. It may actually be better the next day.
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Pasta al Forno with Sausage
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
- 1 35oz can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 6 fresh basil leaves
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1/2 cup ricotta salata, grated
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until browned, about 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add with their juices. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 45 minutes. Stir in torn basil at the end.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until 2 minutes short of al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with enough sauce to coat the pasta and half of the ricotta salata.
- Transfer to the baking dish. Spoon 2-3 ladles of sauce over the top to form a thin layer. Top with the remaining ricotta salata and the sliced fresh mozzarella.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Making the Sauce: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
