Pasta Pasticcio

Pasta pasticcio is a rich and hearty dish, very similar to lasagna and typical of various Italian regions, with recipe variations depending on local tradition. Here I present a classic version of pasticcio.

Ingredients

• 500 g short pasta (penne or rigatoni)
• 250 g ground meat (beef or a mix of beef and pork)
• 200 g mozzarella
• 100 g grated Parmesan
• 700 ml tomato passata
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Butter for greasing the baking dish
• 50 g flour
• 500 ml milk
• Nutmeg to taste

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the meat sauce: sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in a little oil. Once golden, add the ground meat and let it brown for a few minutes.

2. Add the tomato passata, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for at least 20-30 minutes. Add a few basil leaves toward the end of cooking.

3. While the sauce is cooking, prepare a béchamel: melt a little butter in a saucepan, add the flour stirring to avoid lumps. Add the milk a little at a time, continuing to stir. Cook until the sauce thickens, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it is almost al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven), drain and toss with a little of the meat sauce.

5. Take a baking dish, grease the bottom with a little butter, and create layers alternating pasta, meat sauce, béchamel and mozzarella cut into cubes. Sprinkle each layer with grated Parmesan.

6. Finish with a final layer of béchamel and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.

7. Bake the pasticcio in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.

Let the pasticcio rest for a few minutes before serving.

Trivia

The term “pasticcio” comes from the French “pâtisser,” meaning “to make pastry.” Throughout history, the term came to refer to a culinary preparation made of several layers of ingredients that can include pasta, meat and béchamel.