Penne in Boats

The “Penne in boats” are a fun and tasty dish that takes its name from the presentation: the penne are arranged to resemble small boats. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 400 g of penne rigate
• 500 g of tomato passata
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200 g of mozzarella
• 100 g of grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta. When the water boils, add the penne and cook until al dente. Drain them, reserving some cooking water.
2. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil until golden. Then add the tomato passata, salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
4. Once the sauce is ready, remove the garlic cloves and add the penne to the skillet with the sauce, stirring well to coat. If necessary, add a bit of cooking water to make it creamier.
5. Grease a baking dish with a little oil and arrange the penne vertically, as if they were boats in a row.
6. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and insert the pieces between the penne in the baking dish.
7. Sprinkle everything with grated Parmesan and some torn basil leaves.
8. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and a light golden crust forms on the surface.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly for a few minutes before serving.

Fun Fact

This dish is a sort of alternative version of baked pasta and can be customized to your taste: some variations may include adding ricotta to the sauce, or pieces of salami or cooked ham between the penne “boats” to further enrich the flavor.