Baked Orecchiette

Baked orecchiette pasta is a typical first course of Apulian cuisine, there is no “Sunday Lunch” that is not celebrated with a nice plate of orecchiette pasta with sauce or meat sauce! Orecchiette can be freshly prepared or repassed in the oven with semi-seasoned cheese that makes them even more appetizing. The recipe is quick and easy and will guarantee a trip to Puglia in no time!

Follow the instructions of U’ PACK:

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

Total preparation time: about 35-40 min

• 400 gr orecchiette
• 600 ml tomato puree
• 1 clove garlic
• olive oil
• basil
• halls
• grated cheese
• 200 gr semi-seasoned cheese
• breadcrumbs

Preparation

For the Baked Orecchiette first prepare the tomato sauce: in a saucepan you are going to slightly heat the extra virgin olive oil with the garlic clove, which you will sauté moderately. Pour in the tomato sauce, season with salt, and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put plenty of water on the stove in a pot; as soon as it starts to boil, add enough salt and throw in the orecchiette, stir occasionally and cook the pasta according to the cooking time.

Once the orecchiette pasta has been drained (al dente!), add it to the sauce, remembering to keep some of the sauce aside to season the dish, top it with grated cheese and basil leaves.

Cover the bottom of the dish with the sauce set aside. Pour half of the seasoned orecchiette into the baking dish and add the shredded semi-seasoned cheese.

Top with the remaining orecchiette pasta, season the surface with a few spoonfuls of sauce, and then finish with grated cheese and some bread crumbs. Add a drizzle of oil to the surface and bake.

Bake in a static oven at 200° (middle shelf of the oven) for about 20 minutes, until a light crust has formed on the surface.

Once your baked orecchiette pasta is out of the oven, let it cool before bringing it to the table. Come and eat in Apulia!

Stay Hungry, Ste’ U’ PACK!!!