Italian Pasta alla Sorrentina - oven-baked
Pasta alla Sorrentina is a classic Italian pasta dish that originates from the Sorrento region in stunning southern Italy. It's such an easy, simple dish to make using pasta, a tomato based sauce, fresh basil, Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella cheese. The pasta is layered twice with both cheeses, then briefly baked until the cheese is melted and gooey. Need we say more?
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 615kcal
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive
- 1 clove garlic
- 600 grams passata
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- few good grinds black pepper
- 10 fresh basil leaves
For the pasta
- 350 grams dry pasta - like fusilli, penne, rigatoni
- salt to taste - we add 2 teaspoons salt to our pasta
For the toppings
- 200 grams mozzarella
- 70 grams Parmigiano Reggiano - or parmesan
- few extra basil leaves for scattering
Instructions
To make the sauce
- Peel the garlic clove and score the surface of the clove with a sharp knife. Keep it whole and don't cut all the way through it.
- In a large frying pan or saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic clove and fry for 1-2 minutes over a medium heat. Careful not to burn the garlic because it will turn bitter in taste. It should just be a light golden colour.
- Add the passata, salt, sugar, pepper and fresh basil leaves. Give it a good stir and bring it up to a gentle simmer.
- Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes. Stir every few minutes to ensure it's not sticking or drying too quickly. Add a small splash of water if this is the case. Tip: Be careful when pouring the passata onto the hot oil, it can spit ferociously so keep the lid to hand to shield yourself from any splashes.
To make the pasta
- Add the pasta to a large saucepan of rapidly boiling, salted water. Follow the cooking instructions on the pasta packet and cook until just al dente. "Al dente" means pasta that is cooked so it's still firm when bitten, but not raw or hard.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and add it back to the saucepan.
Assembling the dish
- Preheat the oven to 200℃/390℉/gas mark 6.
- Slice the mozzarella into smaller pieces and grate the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Once the sauce is cooked and slightly thickened, pour it over the cooked pasta. You can remove the garlic clove first if it hasn't disintegrated. Stir to combine.
- In a baking dish, add half the pasta to form the bottom layer.
- Layer half the mozzarella on top of the pasta. Follow by sprinkling over half the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Add the second half of the pasta on top of the cheese. Add the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano followed by the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Scatter with more fresh basil leaves and serve hot.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 915mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1308IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 511mg | Iron: 4mg
